Platform FanFics Valentine 2017 Contest
by PlatformFanFics
Summary: Fifteen stories written by different authors for the Platform Valentine OS challenge. Please visit our facebook page, Platform 9 3/4, for voting instructions. The only stipulations were to tie in with Valentine/Sweetheart theme, be under 6k words, and rated T or under. Multiple pairings and timelines. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: You Gave Me You

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 1,758

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

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 **Story Title :** _You Gave Me You_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Romance/Suspense

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** Secret

 **Summary :** Many years have past since the Battle of Hogwarts and many have lost their loved ones with time  & murder. When life once seemed loss for a lady who was once set in her ways, a kind man whom she never thought would matter comes along and shows her what love truly is. So after years of knowing this love she writes him a final letter to thank him as she passes away.

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 **You Gave Me You**

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May 2nd, 2020

To you my love,

It has been twenty-two years since the Battle of Hogwarts occurred and I remember it like it was yesterday. Everything changed that night and it would set my life on a course I would never see coming. For many, the victory at Hogwarts was a cause for celebration, but not for me. That was the night I lost my family. I felt like the very life had been ripped from my chest. I betrayed the Dark Lord that night and although he had perished, his will was felt unfinished by a few, as two years later a few so-called men of the ministry hunted down my husband and murdered him in cold blood. The one Auror was a filthy mudblood, even though I know you would hate to hear me say that.

More time passed and I became a grandmother. Oh the joys I could tell you of the love I've experienced. Becoming a grandparent is much different than being a parent. It was very humbling for me and I had to realize a few things about my views to mold and shape a grandchild properly. My grandson met the world to me and I felt he only deserved the very best. However, it was then again when bad luck struck and my son's wife died. Our pride would forever separate any relationship I could have with him.

I grew tired of everything so I moved away. I had no one. There was no more people in my life that even cared to see me, so I left to the United States. I had been told of some quiet magic friendly neighborhoods. I settled in a little town and got myself a job. Having a job meant I had to deal with muggles and the thought sent shivers down my spine, but I really had no choice if I wanted to survive. I was a secretary for a law firm and the cleaning charm had become my best friend.

May 2nd, 2015 was the best day of my life. I was walking to work as I usually do. Hey, I might be a woman of sixty years but a woman has got to look good, you know. That's when I saw you. Sure, we had never gotten along before but you were a sight for sore eyes after all these years. I called out to you. You saw me from across the street and immediately had a confused look on your face. That smirk made me chuckle. I always knew you were a silly buffoon. So, I crossed the street in your direction. As I grew closer you appeared to get more comfortable and your smile grew a little. I told you I was surprised to see you. You gave some odd chuckle which made me start to wonder if you could even hold a conversation.

I turned to walk away, since your silence was awkward and the conversation was seeming to go nowhere but that is when you reached out to me and took my arm. I turned to look at you and with a very sincere look you apologized. I could see all the emotion in your eyes as if there wasn't enough words to say. You told me you hadn't seen anyone in a long time except your kids and grandkids. I couldn't help but think of how I missed my grandson. You told me your wife had died a couple years back from an illness. The love in your eyes when you spoke of her was intense. I actually felt really sorry for you. I told you of my late husband and again you showed such sincerity in your eyes for my loss. How could you show the man such compassion after how he treated you? But maybe it was I who you felt the pain for. I hadn't seen such feeling in so long. Our conversation went on for a bit too long and I realized I might be late for work but something inside me told me I wanted to see you again. You then spoke up and told me you would be in town for a little while. So, I politely suggested that maybe we should have some food later together and maybe we could talk some more. You smiled and agreed and I was off to work.

I felt rather distracted that day at work. All I could think about was the memories back in the wizarding world. It had been over a decade since I had been there. I missed the life I once had. My life used to be so luxurious and I thought I had people who loved and cared for me. I did exile many from my life because I chose to hate the ones who weren't pureblood. Look at me now, I sit here every day with these stupid muggles and watch them be nice to each other regardless of their differences. I guess it has softened me a little. This irritates me though when I think of my late husband. How we both knowingly convicted people because they might not have wizarding parents or capabilities. Maybe I was the one brainwashed from the family I grew up with that, in the end, seem to far from love me. How could I end this hatred in my heart I thought. What I once thought was love was just being mutually beneficial for a hate driven cause. I never thought I could then know what love is. It was you though my love. I never knew love till I found you.

That night we met up at this silly little muggle bar just down the street from my work. I remember we shared drinks and quietly spoke and giggled about the wizarding world. I wish I could fully explain to you what I realized then. You were so genuine & kind. As I stared into your eyes as you spoke so gently I felt so comfortable. When you told me how much you just loved muggles and wanted to understand so much about them I felt all kinds of things. I wondered why, why would they even be relevant. They aren't like us, they can't do what we do, isn't their existence insulting? You answered it though, I could feel the love you had for them pouring from your heart. You told me of so many things they created just to adapt. I was impressed. Maybe I had even taken magic for granted. You were such a gentleman. You walked me home and everything.

We stood there on my doorstep. You were telling me of how you missed your wife as we sat down on the porch swing together. I knew you loved her so much. Your heart was just pouring out of your chest and it had been years since I had felt anywhere near what was inside of you. I couldn't take it anymore, my heart used to be filled with so much hate for everyone but my family and after so many years of being isolated and emotionally cut off I was so overwhelmed by you. I reached up with both hands on the side of your face, tilted my head, & came in slowly to place my lips upon yours. I don't know what came over me and I could tell at first you didn't know how to respond. It wasn't until you leaned into me and wrapped your arms around me when I knew it was ok. As our lips parted you ran your hand softly down the side of my face. You looked deep into my eyes and I could feel you entering my soul. That's when you said "Would you let me love you? Would you let me truly love you?"

I never dreamed I'd find love with you. How could two people of completely different backgrounds and belief structures find love. Was it your amazing sincerity & kindness that drew me to you. Could it been after all these years of hate and discrimination I could finally see the beauty of compassion through your example. I found such warmth in your gentle hand with those around you. I had never felt unworthy in my life and it was your love that humbled me. You have such integrity and so much to be proud of yet you stay caring and humbled with people you encounter whether pure-blood or even muggle. We would go on to have five glorious years together. Your children, although reluctant at first, accepted me when they didn't have to. Then you and your big heart reunited me with my son & with all I've done wrong in life I didn't deserve you. Now, as I lie her on my death bed I just wanted you to know how much you've meant to me. I'm sorry this will be my final letter and I must say goodbye. I could have never imagine my life if we hadn't met. You gave me back my life, my family, & my grandchildren. You gave me more happiness in five years than I had in sixty. Now you stand here holding my hand as I'm feeling the my soul begin for departure. I want to thank you my love for giving me the most amazing thing in existence. You gave me you.

I love you Arthur Weasley.

Love always,

Narcissa Malfoy "Cissy"

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 _ **Please let the author know what you think!**_


	2. Chapter 2: Forget Me Nott

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 5,800

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

* * *

 **Story Title :** _Forget Me Nott_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Drama

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** Theo Nott/Millicent Bulstrode

 **Summary :** AU - Seventh Year at Hogwarts - No War - When Theo loses a bet with his friends, he is forced to take Slytherin's least desirable to the Saint Valentine's dance.

* * *

 **Forget Me Nott**

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The silence in the common room was broken abruptly by the resonate sounds of taunting laughter and shameless mockery as the entrance slid open, spilling in the source of the belittling noise.

"Oh no, a bet is a bet, Nott," teased Draco Malfoy with his signature smirk upon his aristocratic features. He was focusing his gaze on Theo, who was sluggishly walking to a sofa and throwing himself down, leaning back with his hands on his face, openly voicing his disconsolation in a chesty groan.

"Yeah, mate, I'm with Malfoy on this one," grinned Blaise Zabini, dropping down next to Theo and slapping his leg with his hand, "you agreed, now you have to follow through."

Theo peered an eye between his fingers and glared back at his friend. With a sneer, he mumbled behind covered lips, "Easy for you to say, Zabini, you're not the one who has to take Bulstrode to the dance!"

Draco and Blaise shared a silent exchange before bellowing in laughter again, sending another wave of deriding echoes throughout the cold space of the common room. Theo sneered again in defeat and shot up from his sitting position. He gave his friends a vexing look before storming off to his room, slamming the door in irritation. He shifted his weight fully and collapsed on his bed in one solid motion, face buried in the green duvet. He had to think of a way out of this. How could _he_ be seen side by side with Millicent Bulstrode? Stupid bet. He knew he should've cheated that last round.

xxXxx

Millicent was silent as she walked precisely three steps behind Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass on their way to the Great Hall, as she so often did. They weren't friends, not really, this she knew, but she did as they bade. It wasn't the ideal setup: Parkinson and Greengrass used Millicent Bulstrode as a weapon for intimidation and fear. She was, after all, not the thinnest of girls, and held a height to her that was taller than your average seventh year female. It didn't bother her though, as she longed for that feeling of being needed. And these slender snake princesses definitely needed her. She rarely spoke to anyone, using her silence as a tool to strike uneasiness among those who stood too close or dared to speak out of line. Yes, Millicent was their walking wall, their barrier to those inferior to the Slytherin Royales and their followers.

The Great Hall was bustling with students by the time the three of them entered through the wide open doors. Colors of yellows, reds, and blues seemed to clear a path as they made their way to their usual spot at the Slytherin table, where the boys were already seated. Millicent, knowing her place, took her seat a small distance from them without a word. She did, however, keep her attention close enough to their conversations, should the off chance an official invite occur.

"What's got you in rut?" Pansy said, sitting down across from Draco and Blaise, who were already halfway into their breakfast. Theo, slouching, didn't look up at her. His face was propped against one hand while the other poked at his eggs. Pansy glared at him with exasperation. _No one ignores Pansy,_ Millicent thought as she silently looked on.

"Don't mind him, Pans, he's been up all night _planning_ ," chimed Blaise with a faint glint in his dark eyes. Theo reacted at that, raising a corner of his mouth in a quiet snarl. Pansy and Daphne exchanged looks as their pretty faces lit up in curiosity.

With a lifted brow Daphne said, "Oh? Does this have anything to do with the Saint Valentine's dance, Nott?" She smirked as his eyes sluggishly met her own. He opened his mouth as if to respond, but Draco interrupted.

"You could say that. It's going to be a romantic night for our boy here," Draco said slamming his hand down on his shoulder. He flicked the attention of his eyes, and Millicent could've sworn he looked in her direction. Thinking she was being obvious, she focused on the plate in front of her, but kept her ears open.

"Well it's about time. The dance is a week away and you're the only one who hasn't openly asked anyone. I assumed you were going stag and planning on seeing how many Hufflepuff girls you could steal from their dates again," she paused in faux thought, "Or have you made your way through all the good ones already?" Pansy picked up a piece of toast. Her eyes had menace in them and her lips were curled into a malice grin. Theo, Millicent noticed, chose not to entertain her further with a response and instead, silently rose from the table and walked out of the Great Hall. She watched him only with her eyes as he took hard, long strides, his hands in fists at his sides. The rest of breakfast was full of snickers and secrets too faint for her ears to catch.

xxXxx

Theo managed to find solitude as he jogged the beach of the Black Lake away from the prying questions of his fellow classmates. The sun was setting, and he still had no clue how he was going to talk his way out of this whole bet thing. He'd held off too long now and the dance was only two days away. He knew he had to follow through with it, but he couldn't bring himself to approach the witch.

He had ran laps around the school grounds, clearing his head of distractions in hopes of an off chance he came up with an idea to relinquish his obligations, but nothing helped. He was in full sprint as he focused his finish line for the beech trees that rested lazily in the distance of the lake's calm rippled waters. He was so concentrated on his pace that he didn't notice the girl sitting beneath the branches until he was practically on top of her. With a jump of surprise, the girl dropped the book she was reading and scrambled to regain herself.

"Bulstrode," he managed to say between breaths. He was sweating, and could feel the cold breeze sting at his flesh beneath the damp cloth of his shirt. Pulling his wand, he cast a warming charm around himself.

"Oh. Sorry I," she fumbled, still trying to gather her things. Theo bent down to hand her the book she had dropped, and was surprised to see the title _The Perks of Being a Wallflower_ on the cover. Upon his discovery, Millicent flushed red.

"I know it's muggle literature but," she hesitated again, searching for the words to say. Showing weakness was never her strongest suit, and the surprise of his arrival had left her off guard.

" _Just tell me how to be different in a way that makes sense."_

Millicent's eyes widened as she peered up at him in bewilderment. "You know Stephen Chbosky?"

Theo stood there with a similar expression, holding the book in his hand. He surprised himself by quoting it aloud. His breath was still airy from his run as he stood there, panting. After an awkward silent moment, he nodded, then found himself sitting down in the grass next to her. Millicent straightened her posture beside him and shifted uncomfortably.

"My mom liked this one,' he began, focusing his eyes on the lightly swaying grass, "I've read it a few times."

Millicent narrowed her eyes in thought. _Why was he telling her this?_ She frantically searched for something to set her eyes on, to regain control of her embarrassment, but could only focus on him. She sighed, "It's very good. It's almost," she paused again. This time when she searched for the word, it wasn't her nerves that caused the hesitation, but her trying to describe the book in it's best context. Theo finished the thought, however, before she could.

"Relatable." He caught her eyes and the both visibly relaxed. There was something close to an understanding in that single word as the silence crept back between them. Theo didn't mind it this time, though as it wasn't awkward so much as warranted. He breathed in, eyes closed, and hummed with the sounds of the wind as it made the waters of the Black Lake dance.

Millicent watched in silent wonder at her schoolmate. They had rarely spoken to one another during their course at Hogwarts, and she wondered how it was so easy to sit in silence with him now. Her mouth pulled in a tight lipped smile as she caught the scent of him in the passing breeze. He smelled of fall: warm like ambers and his cologne of sandalwood and vanilla still lingered the air despite his active afternoon.

"So, has anyone asked you to the dance yet?" He asked her, pulling her from her thoughts. She hadn't realized her eyes were closed until she opened her lids to reveal him studying her. It took her brain a moment to catch up to his question.

"Dance? You mean the Saint Valentine's dance? Me?" she knew she was speaking in fragments, but she wasn't sure where he as getting at by his question. _Was this friendly conversation?_ She was rarely inquired of her life, especially from her schoolmates.

Theo breathed a laugh, "Yes you. Are you going with anyone?" His tone was cool and he hoped convincing. The last thing he needed was a Millicent Bulstrode attack.

Millicent bit the inside of her mouth, unsure of how to respond. She decided on the most direct answer and, slipping her mask in place, said "No. I don't do dances." She was lying of course. She adored dances, but had never had the luxury of someone actually asking her to go. The Yule Ball was a disaster: the pretty girls in their dresses twirling and laughing as she sat unseen in the corner of the room. She frowned from her memory.

"Nonsense. You should go with me," he said matter of factly. She narrowed her eyes at him again, studying his motives. When she didn't respond right away, he continued, "Come on, Bulstrode, we're friends right? No sense going alone. Imagine the fun we could have."

Struck in disbelief, she sat there with doubt clogging her brain channel to her lips. She kept her face calm, as she so often did, ignoring the knot in her stomach and the awoken giddy girl she kept hidden from others. After what seemed like an eternity, or only a few short seconds, she nodded.

"Great! See? That wasn't so hard!" he said flashing her a grin. He stood, shaking off the dirt and grass from his pants, as he raised his head. "We better get back. It will be dark soon." He offered her his hand which she gratefully took and grabbed her schoolbag. He handed her the book, nodded, then jogged off towards the castle. She wasn't upset in the least that he left her there. She took that moment to release a gleeful laugh and her lips pulled into the largest of grins. She looked down at Chbosky's book in her hand.

" _Enjoy it. Because it's happening."_

xxXxx

Millicent sat on her bed, combing her long, thick strands of hair, listening to Pansy and Daphne gossip about the dance. She smiled in spite of herself, enjoying the scene; they had asked her to join them in preparing for the event together. Her first official invitation to being treated like one of the royales. _  
_

"So, Milli, have you thought about what you and Theo would be doing _after_ the dance?" enquired Daphne as she stepped into her sparkling blue charmeuse empire gown. Pansy looked over her shoulder at her and smirked. Millicent paused, the silver brush still in her hand. She hadn't thought about anything happening after. _Doesn't the fairy tale end when the clock chimes midnight?_ Pansy's grin widened with Millicent's eyes at her clear hesitation.

"Surely you have _something_ planned?" she asked zipping up her own gown: a forest green velvet chenille mermaid cut doused in diamonds that lined the low dip of her back. Millicent dropped her hands in her lap in faux thought.

"You know, I might have something to help you," Pansy said bending down into one of her drawers. She pulled out a porcelain phial of pink liquid. "Here," she said holding it out to Millicent, who took it with curiosity. "A few sips of this and Theo will be eating from the palm of your hand." She threw a side, sly grin to Daphne, who smirked back at her. Millicent, studying the contents in the phial, missed the transaction. _Could she do this? Give Theo a love potion?_

After a moment, Millicent tucked the phial into her bra and picked up her wand. With a flick of her hand, her hair was dry and she reached for her dress that was hanging off her canopy. She made no other comment to her _friends_ , but nodded here and there at their words. She removed the dress from its hanger and bent to slip it on. It was the most elegant garment she had ever owned: a satin black sheath gown with wide laced straps. She turned to adjust herself in the mirror, not realizing the conversation behind her had seized.

"Well, well! Where have you been hiding _those_ curves?" asked Daphne walking over and placing her hands on Millicent's waistline. "That dress is very becoming on you, Milli."

Pansy looked on from her own mirror, making some finishing touches, unamused. She smiled, but it didn't reach her pretty wicked eyes. After setting a diamond brooch in her hair, sparkling with the flickers of the candles, she walked over to her.

"You know, we have to do something with your makeup," she said sidestepping in front of her. She began to poke and dab at Millicent's face, and with the help of Daphne, they did her up to look as beautiful as her gown itself.

xxXxx

The girls were met in the common room by their counterparts, all three taking a step back in surprise; including Theo. He almost looked straight past Millicent as she descended the stairs. He caught her eyes, and he witnessed her face flush under his scrutiny.

"Why Millicent Bulstrode," Blaise said offering his arm to Daphne, "You clean up nice."

Millicent blushed, Daphne gasped, and Pansy scoffed, "Wow, Blaise, you sure know how to talk to a woman."

Theo, still in slight disbelief, considered Millicent's appearance in full now that she was mere inches from him. She had shape to her, not the square form she appeared to have when wearing her school robes, and he admired the fit of the dress on her curves; her face appeared softer and surprisingly feminine. He shook the thought of her using transfiguration on herself. Lost in his musings, a silence was beginning to build, thickening the air and the common room suddenly felt crowded.

"Well then," said Draco with a glowing Pansy on his arm, "Shall we?" He gave Theo a wink as he led the party towards the exit, Blaise and Daphne right behind. Theo held no expression on his face and offered his own arm, which Millicent gleefully took. He could feel her eyes on him, but he didn't meet them. The group of them walked fairly silent on their way to the Great Hall.

Already bustling with students fashioned in dresses of all lengths and handsome suits; some bearing their house colors, the six of them made their way to the dance. Theo, in his strikingly well fit black, sleek suit, chose not to accent it with a tie. In fact, he rarely wore his uniform tie, as he tired of it back in fourth year. He was unaware of the pace in his steps until he brushed Pansy's arm.

"You look ravishing," said Pansy leaning into him, arm still held to Draco's as they entered the Great Hall, "I feel I should warn you though," she paused, flicked her eyes between his and Millicent's, careful not to be overheard, "Milli has a little something she plans on giving you." At his reaction, she leered.

Theo looked at Millicent for the first time since the common room. She turned her head and smiled, meeting his eyes briefly before he shifted his focus back to Pansy. When a look of question crossed his face, her beautiful lips curled into a grin.

" _Beguiling_ setting. Wouldn't you say?" She said gracefully leaving Theo's eyes to Draco's, who gave her an uninterested nod.

That clicked something in Theo, however, as he silently contemplated her words. _Did Millicent plan on using a love potion?_ He's heard that word used by a few Hufflepuff girls he'd snogged in the past; they threatened to use the _Beguiling Bubbles_ love potion they acquired from the Weasel twins' shop in Diagon Alley. He gave a quick glance back at Millicent, who was paying him no mind in that moment; admiring the red, pink, and white decorations placed strategically around the hall. His lip twitched, and felt he could use the idea as an excuse, should anyone ask why he held Slytherin's Undesirable on his arm.

"Theo?" he heard her say, placing her opposite hand loosely across her and on his own, "Would...would you like some punch?" Her voice was shaky; nervous, and he realized this was her move to slip him the potion. He narrowed his eyes before nodding back at her. He chanced a look in her eyes and she smiled, hesitating only briefly before walking to the refreshments table. He watched her as she moved through the already teeming room but was knocked from his focus when Draco's hand slapped his shoulder.

"Well done, mate," he said musing after the girl's back. He turned to Theo, rolling on his heels, "I honestly didn't think you had it in you."

"I got to admit," chimed in Blaise walking up, "She doesn't look half bad."

That caused Theo and Draco to turn. They stared back at him with indifference in their expressions. Theo's lips curled into a smirk, "Why Blaise, I'd be happy to switch dates you know. I'm sure Daph would have a _much_ better time with me." He winked at his friend as Blaise's features lit in a smug grin.

"You wish, mate. Enjoy your _punch_ ," said Blaise walking to Daphne and guiding her to the dance floor. Draco followed his lead and grabbed Pansy, but not before giving Theo a nodd, his smirk forever planted on his face. Theo glared at them, envious of the girls on their arm. He considered finding one of his old flings for a dance, but before he could complete that thought fully, however, Millicent walked up, a cup in each hand. He looked hard at the beverage she had handed him and almost set it down, not wanting to subdue to the potion and think of an excuse to bail. But when she held her cup up for a cheers, he did the same. _Oh well, here goes nothing._

"Bottoms up," he said with a frown. Millicent's features fell slightly at his words, but she tapped her cup with his, and together they drank the contents. Theo felt the cool liquid glide down his throat and swallowed hard. He wasn't sure when the effects of the potion would occur, but he knew it wouldn't be long.

"Are you alright?" he heard Millicent say, vanishing the cups from their hands, "you look a little..pale." Her tone was dry, and Theo thought he could feel his throat closing up. With a light shake of his head, he nodded.

"Of course. I get anxious around so many people." It wasn't a lie, he rather enjoyed spending time alone, and the constant presence of others made his skin grow clammy and his nerves go astray. He tugged at the collar of his shirt as he cleared his throat and looked about the room.

Millicent bit the inside of her mouth, lips pursed as she contemplated her response. Letting go, she sighed and crossed her arms, desperately trying to find a common ground. She could tell he was avoiding meeting her eyes, and she didn't understand his capricious behavior, since he'd so easily asked her to the dance mere days before.

"You know, we could dance. If you'd like." She said, hoping to ease both their minds. She watched him slowly shift his focus and meet her gaze.

Millicent felt his hand reach out to take her own as he slowly took a step backwards, keeping his eyes on her as he tugged her to the dance floor. His lips twitched, and he let an airy grunt of amusement escape them. She was smiling at him uneasily as he pulled her into him, the music rolling over them in a fast paced tango. His features were uncertain, and showed strain as he began to step in tune. He studied her in silence as she stumbled, at first, but soon found her footing and together, they danced as one.

They didn't have time for conversation during their dances together, but neither seemed to mind. She wanted to dance, and he obliged her song after song. When the music broke into a slower pace, however, he sighed internally, relieved to rest his feet. He paused only a moment before he took her closely in his arms again. Theo felt as though the room was spinning, and his head felt light at times, but that was to be expected considering the circumstances with the potion. Fighting it was beyond his control, he knew, so pushing that feeling aside, he chose the moment to take in Millicent's features: she was glowing; smiling, and he felt compelled to keep that smile upon her face. He mused at the empathetic silence they shared, and chortled in spite of himself.

"I never thought I would be dancing with you like this," he thought aloud. When she reacted with an arched brow, pulling back half a step in surprise, he smiled to reassure her, "I didn't mean that the way it sounded, Milli. I only meant, I didn't expect to be enjoying myself at a school dance in general. You were just a surprised and welcomed bonus." She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder to shield her overly flushed face from his view, unable to suppress the bliss from her lips.

As the night drew on, Millicent found herself feeling more and more at ease in Theo's presence. She could tell he relaxed since their first dance, and she was in awe that she managed to keep his attention. What they lacked in spoken words, they made up for in their actions, as Theo made her feel as though no detail was neglected. She didn't know how long they remained on the center of the crowded floor, but she never wanted this night to end. He made her feel like one of the Royales she had long since hoped to be, and she wasn't letting go of her prince now. She thought of Chbosky, as she so often did, and closed her eyes.

" _We didn't talk about anything heavy or light. We were just there together. And that was enough"_

 _xxXxx_

After what seemed like hours, and yet not long enough at all, Theo brushed her knuckles with his lips before excusing himself for a rest, which she complied breathlessly. She bit the inside of her mouth, lips curled in a sincere grin, and watched him join a conversation with Blaise and Daphne. On her way to get a drink, she was halted in her tracks by Draco, who abruptly stepped in her path.

"Bulstrode, would you honor me?" he said gesturing back to the dance floor. His pale, silver eyes were swimming with atrocity, but she engaged him, taking his hand before guiding her through the crowd. The music was a slow waltz, and Millicent wondered how it would be almost romantic, had her partner been Theo instead. Draco placed his hand upon her waist and led her through the steps.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself, Bulstrode." he said in an even tone. She responded with a tight lipped smirk, raising her chin as she met his gaze.

"I am, Malfoy. I'd be lying if I said otherwise." She tried to keep her response calm, but her night had been far too perfect to hold her mask in place.

Draco, eying her with much deliberation, pulled her waist, holding her one hand as he led her through a spin. She out let a light laugh in spite of herself as he brought her in, holding her waist once more. His features held no true expression as they waltzed, and when the song drew to a close, he pulled her in, his breath evident on the fold of her ear as he whispered to her.

"Shame all this fun you're having was for naught. Seeing how you were the lamented prize of a _bet_." She flinched; her face falling completely. Draco, in evident amusement, left her alone on the dance floor, tugging his coat jacket in a victorious manner as he strutted his way to the others in their party.

Her vision blurred as she walked aimlessly through the crowd, holding a hand to her forehead for what she assumed would hold her balance while her other hand gripped her stomach. She felt sick. They were having such a great time, and she let her walls slip and put forth this unknown trust in a classmate she barely knew. It wasn't until she was at Theo's side when she realized where she had wandered. He turned from his gathered group, looking at her with that grin he kept so well on his face and she snarled. Without so much as a warning, she drew her hand back, removing it from her face, and with all her might, or none at all, she threw her fist forward. Theo, quick on his feet, shifted awkwardly to the side as her fist collided with a handsome and smug looking blonde. Draco stumbled backwards, holding his jaw in utter shock. Millicent didn't as much as react to missing her target, she stood there, expelling heavy breaths. Her dark, dilated eyes flaring, she glared at Theo's distraught countenance.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked, surprised at his own concern for the witch. Draco was muttering something about his father behind him, but he wasn't focused on that. When he saw her winch, her expression indignant, he reached for her shoulders. She pulled from him, but he refused to let go, holding his grip on her sleeve as she jerked away, hard, stumbling back and rushing away in a gliding speed from the Great Hall. He went to follow her, and kicked something glass on the floor. His eyes followed the phial of pink liquid as it glided discarded across the scoffed marble and he slowly walked over to pick it up. The seal was unbroken. He sighed, knowing in that moment, that their enjoyment together was genuine; natural. He tucked the phial in his coat pocket, and sped after her.

xxXxx

That's where he found her: leaning against the wall beside the intricate fireplace in the common room. From their struggle, her sleeve had been pulled slightly and hung loosely off her shoulder. Despite himself, he couldn't help but be drawn to her in that moment. For the first time in all their seven years together, Millicent looked...vulnerable; fragile. Nothing like the voluminous unaesthetic oppressor he'd known her to be.

Millicent stood adjacent to the stone wall, pulling breaths between silent sobs, wiping the ever flowing tears from her eyes in shameful defeat. She knew it was all too good to be true. _How could anyone ever want to willingly go anywhere with me?_ She cursed herself internally for agreeing to this setup to begin with. She wasn't Pansy, or Daphne, or even that pretty Gryffindor girl, Hermione. She was Millicent. The bully; the beast. _Not_ the beauty.

"Milli," Theo called to her in an airy whisper. His tone held a nervousness to it, and it echoed in the large empty room that made Millicent stiffen. She raised her chin and wiped at her eyes again; desperate to clear any evidence of tears from her face, but on her cheeks, the salty streams remained and her eyes were glazed.

In a few wary steps he was at her side, holding his arms up with uncertainty of where to place them or even touch her at all. She flinched at his close proximity as his scent invaded her senses; rushing her back to that moment when he first approached her about the dance: the intense and bewitching scents of sandalwood and vanilla with that hint of amber, and she felt her eyes flutter closed on their own accord. Theo traced the tips of his fingers along the wide, lacey fabric of her fallen sleeve, and gently slid it up her shoulder in place. He sighed, and his breath danced the top layer of her skin, rushing a chill down to her toes.

"Milli," he tried again. His hand now rested on her arm, replacing the fallen fabric. "I'm sorry."

His words knocked her back to that moment and she shoved the recent memory from her mind and scoffed, shifting her body to pull away from him, but his touch strengthened.

"I'm serious. I had no idea you were so," he paused, searching for the right words to say and she seized that moment.

"Nott, stop," she began, mustering the courage to look him in the eyes, "Don't you think you've played me the fool for long enough?" Her cool Slytherin mask was back in place, choosing the comfort in the silent stare she so often did to intimidate classmates all these years.

"You're no fool, Millicent Bulstrode, I'll give you that much," he said, relaxing his hold on her arm. "If anything, _I'm_ the fool here."

Millicent didn't respond, not with words. She simply glowered at him in silence, flashing a familiar warning in her eyes. Theo, however, had already seen the susceptible side of her and refused to allow her to shut down.

"Milli, I never meant for you to get hurt. This bet, this whole situation, was never meant to be anything." He faltered again, searching for the right words to ease her mind. This was never his strongest suit; connecting with people. He was a loner overall, and he realized that he did always respect Millicent for being the same in that aspect. Thinking on his heels, he sought the pages of the book they shared days before in his mind.

" _I just want you to know that you're very special...and the only reason I'm telling you is that I don't know if anyone else ever has."_ When she didn't react, didn't so much as move, he cursed aloud to himself, turning from her and running his fingers through his stylish brown hair, mopping it up in the process. He didn't care in that moment, however, he centered his thoughts on Millicent, desperate to heal her wounds. "You are though," he began, with his back still to her, one hand in his pocket as his other rested on his temple, "special... These other girls don't have anything on you; a queen among a court of princesses."

Millicent sucked in a breath as a single tear fell from her cheek. He quoted her book, which left her breathless, but calling her a queen when she so desperately wanted to fit in with the Slytherin royales took her deepest desire and made it a reality, if only for their ears. She turned to him, crossing her arms closely in front of her and shrugged.

Upon hearing her move, Theo turned, and met her swollen eyes, and moved to her again. He rested his hands on her upper arms, her sleeve had fallen again, and he tugged his wand and casted a quick _convestio reparo_. He watched as her eyes widened in surprise.

"You look beautiful, Milli. And, despite the reasoning we were brought together, I have thoroughly enjoyed myself. Enjoyed being with _you._ " He moved closer then, and raised her chin. She was tall, but he was taller, and he glided his fingers to brush the skin of her cheek, still damp from her recently released tears. He breathed a side smile at her, locking his cerulean blue eyes with her hopeful dark ones in full sincerity.

Millicent couldn't breathe. She didn't know how to feel in that moment: on one hand she felt chagrin, but then why had he sought her out? Why had he come to her side? She could feel his breath on her and her eyes fluttered closed again. Her shame slowly washing away with the movement of his touch on her cheek. Losing control of her own body, she felt herself dropping her arms and bringing them to his waist in desperate need, sliding them beneath his suit jacket. She leaned into him with an unknown longing, and lightly brushed her lips with his. Theo, now making circles with his thumb on her cheek, responded gently to the feel of her, and brought his free hand to cup her face on both sides. The embrace was innocent; pure, and Millicent's first. She felt unfallen tears sting her eyes, but she didn't dare move. Not yet. It was Theo who slowly pulled back, but not before brushing his lips over hers softly in a quick peck.

The two of them stood there a moment, neither letting go of the other. Millicent blew a breath, and laughed in spite of herself drawing Theo to take a step back as he looked at her, a slanted grin upon his handsome features.

"I'm sorry," she said between soft chuckles, "I'm just… Thank you." she managed, meeting his eyes once more. She liked that about Theo; that they could look at each other in silence and have an understanding. His side simper slowly morphed into a full ranged grin as he let his own laugh escape.

"Milli," he began, pulling his wand again and waving it about, she missed the incantation, too lost was she in her own happiness. She paused, however, when music began to play, bouncing off the walls of the empty common room. "May I have this dance?" He was half bowing now, reaching his hand, she took it, smirking cheekily.

"Most impressive, Nott, I must say." Theo, taking her back into his arms and swaying to the tune's melodic beat, nodded at her praise. He pondered briefly and leaned into her, close enough for his lips to tickle her ear, and quoted the words of their book once more.

" _And in that moment I swear we were infinite."_

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 ** _Please let the author know what you think!_**


	3. Chapter 3: Heart in a Nott

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 4,729

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

* * *

 **Story Title :** _Heart in a Nott_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Romance

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** Theo Nott/Hermione Granger

 **Summary :** Students are dealing with their grief as best they can after the war. Hermione finds an unlikely friend in a Slytherin she'd never given much thought to before. It all culminates in Professor Slughorn's eighth year Potions class, on Valentine's day, of course!

* * *

 **Heart in a Nott**

* * *

The ledge was especially treacherous, but that was partly the reason behind Hermione's rash decision to tackle it. She liked to assign the more difficult tasks for herself if not only to get her adrenaline pumping. After such an arduous seventh year spent on the run, she craved the excitement. She looked on fondly at what had once been the Astronomy Tower which had stood proud and majestic at her school. It was in partial ruins now, but that didn't matter so long as they were fixing it.

Her shoes scraped against the stone rubble as she navigated higher up the wall, jaw clenched, and wand gripped tightly for good measure. Very much had been accomplished since the battle that past summer, but Hogwarts had still opened on September first as it had every year. Now it was already February, and the laborious rebuilding efforts had not yet ceased. The eighth year students had made a tremendous amount of progress in four months and only the Astronomy Tower was left.

Hermione let the wispy blue mending spell shoot from the tip of her wand to graze against the cracks and fissures in the stones before she levitated them back into place. The busy work was oddly comforting, as Andromeda suggested it would be, and she found it posed a lovely opportunity for her to gather her thoughts.

So much had happened since that summer, from her swift career choice switches to her very anticlimactic breakup with Ron. She was only nineteen, yet the years hung heavy in her eyes. She'd seen and endured much—that was evident in every line of her face. She wished she could simply move on to the next chapter of her life as Ron had so effortlessly done, seemingly with not a care in the world, but she felt heavily burdened and extremely shaken after the war, and things were not so easy for her.

With a sigh, she lifted up on her tiptoes, thankful she'd selected jeans and a form-fitting jumper for this class instead of the regulation Hogwarts uniform, and reached her wand arm high in the air to target one particularly vexing area she'd found difficult to access. She deeply misjudged her ability to balance with one arm raised whilst keeping her footing on such a precarious ledge, and within seconds, she was slipping, instinctively grabbing for something solidary to hold on to. Her knees bumped into the stone wall, and the coarse rock cut into the thick material, peeling the skin of her leg. She lodged her fingers into the deep stone crevices, seeking some sort of purchase against her flailing legs, and resisting the urge to look down. With all the effort she could muster, she tried to lift herself over the small wall, but it was in vain.

 _It's alright you ninny_ , she consoled herself, _there's a softening charm down there. You saw Headmistress McGonagall placing it after Dumbledore died. Let yourself fall—it won't hurt too badly._

Swallowing audibly, she took a deep breath, closing her eyes and willing herself to release her hands from their death grip. Blood rushed to her temples as she released one hand, but for some reason, the second hand refused to give, stubbornly holding on for dear life.

"Bollocks," she swore.

With renewed focus, she concentrated on lifting first one finger, than the other. She refused to dangle embarrassingly for a moment longer. There was work to be done, and she'd be damned if she was caught in such a vulnerable position.

"Sodding hell," a deep, masculine voice said from high above her.

 _Too late._

She saw a cigarette flick over the edge before Theodore Nott came into view, in all his towering glory. Immediately, he dropped to his knees on the stones, his Quidditch reflexes coming into play, and reached for her, pulling her up with inexplicable ease, as if she weighed as much as pygmy puff.

"You alright, Granger?" His amber eyes bored into hers intently, and she felt oddly skewered by them.

She held onto him firmly, uncharacteristically afraid to let go. There was something about him that caused the dark and insidious turmoil within her to go temporarily silent, as if he was naturally peaceful, and it rolled off of him in pleasant waves. The silly notion was squashed in an instant, of course.

"You knackered or something?"

"No, I'm not _knackered_ ," she bristled, brushing off the dust on her clothes with as much dignity as she could muster and fixing him with a withering stare.

"Are you sure?" He lifted two perfectly arched eyebrows doubtfully. "I'm not used to seeing Gryffindor's hero in such a compromising position."

 _Oh, he's such a prat! And is he smirking? Yes—I believe he's smirking at me. The nerve of him._ Rolling her eyes, she straightened to her full height and took a menacing step forward, smiling inwardly when he took a retreating step back. "I simply slipped, _Nott_ , and for your information I was not at any terrible risk; the Headmistress placed a large softening charm around the circumference of the Tower."

The Slytherin's annoying grin crept back onto his face as he reached into his robes and withdrew another cigarette, lighting it with a nonverbal _Incendio_ right in front of her very eyes. "Actually, softening charm or not, such a fall would earn you a trip to Madam Pomfrey's; the higher the fall, the larger the bounce when you initially hit the ground—you still risk breaking something."

"I think it's only fair I remind you, as you have told me countless times: no one likes a know-it-all."

Nott neglected to answer her, deigning instead to blow a plume of the sweet-smelling smoke right in her face.

"I should also deduct points from you for smoking on campus, Nott," she added venomously. "I know the rules have changed slightly for eighth years, but there are designated areas."

"Permission from the Head Boy, Granger," he said with a wink. The triumph that flickered across his eyes set her mood to souring.

"Bloody Slytherins," she muttered, as she ducked into the window, and headed to rejoin Andromeda Black's Grief Counseling class.

 **OoOoO**

"Ginny," Hermione called, absently running her hand over the spine of her book. "Are you ever unsure about what you're going to do after school?"

Ginny furrowed her brows in confusion. "Never," she answered. "I've always wanted to play for the Holyhead Harpies and after seventh year, looks like I'll be able to."

"Isn't that lovely," Hermione muttered under her breath.

"Sorry?"

"Nothing," Hermione assured her. "I've just been having trouble deciding my own career path, that's all."

"You've had an extra year."

"Exactly, that's why it's so daunting." Hermione sighed as she hauled herself up on her bed. "I've always been so certain about everything, but anymore I just am plagued with doubts."

"Well," Ginny sat gingerly down on Hermione's bed. "What calls to you the most?"

"I know I want to do something at the Ministry, just unsure of what."

"You have a good head for politics, and you have an in, what with your hero status," Ginny jested.

"Yes, and I do think I'd be able to do some good, and obviously the Ministry needs more Muggle-borns."

"See?"

"But lately I've been thinking about a career as an Unspeakable. Since fifth year when we went to the department of Ministries, I've always been curious about the Space Chamber, the Time Room, the Death Room…all of it."

"You've always been a knowledge-seeker."

Hermione nodded. "I don't want to make a mistake. What if I choose a path I wasn't meant for?"

"What, do you believe in fate now?" Ginny deadpanned. "I say go for the career that gets your blood pumping, you can always make the transition to politics later. I think there was even a Minister of Magic that was an Unspeakable first."

"Really?"

"Mhm." Ginny smiled at her friend. "Do whatever your heart tells you," she suggested. "It won't ever steer you wrong."

 **OoOoO**

Hermione slammed the potion's caddy down on the table, glaring at Nott as she began taking the various materials out of the container.

"Well," she said, dropping her hands to her hips. "Aren't you going to get the ingredients?" She gestured to the board where Slughorn had listed the components needed to brew _Veledari's Valentine Concoction_. "It's up there."

She was still mildly vexed Slughorn had decided to pair the two of them together. She was all for house unity, but after her embarrassing altercation with him the day prior; she'd rather not have to endure the haughty Pureblood's presence today.

"I don't need to look at the board, Granger," he informed her confidently. "It's up here." He pointed to his head, smirking at her apparent fury.

"Class," Professor Slughorn interrupted. "A perfectly brewed potion should look like this one here, a clear, rose-hued liquid. The potion will smell differently to each person, according to their likes. I'm allowing my Advanced Potions class to take one vial of the elixir and gift it to their Valentine's—won't that be lovely? Only a drop is needed to scent up a room. Work diligently with your partners! You have one hour to complete this task."

Hermione shot Nott a look. "You'd better help me brew an outstanding potion, _Oh-Knowledgeable-One"_

He tipped his head mockingly. "I'll see to it that you have another O to add to your immaculate record." He drew up from his seat, and she was again reminded of just how tall he was. The insufferable man got under her skin and Hermione was unsure why. She'd advocated benevolence towards the returning Death Eaters and their children. Many of their families were in Azkaban. Draco himself had been pardoned as was his father. Some of the sixth and seventh years were often found giving them a hard time. Hermione had stressed to Harry and Ron that they be an example and extend kindness to their peers who were likely dealing with an even darker period in their lives than they were.

She glanced around at her peers. Of course Harry and Cho were paired—Slughorn always went easy on his favorite. Neville and Pansy were paired, and so were Draco and Luna, causing her to snicker ever so slightly. The two of them were quite the odd couple, but they seemed to take it in stride.

She didn't know why she gave Nott such a hard time—perhaps it was his penchants for finding her in such vulnerably predicaments? Or even worse—perhaps a small part of her enjoyed their back and forth banter?

He came back with an armful of materials and Hermione quickly scanned them to be sure they were the correct ones. He placed them carefully on their station, as if he took potion-brewing just as seriously as she did.

"Would you like to do the honors, Granger?" he asked, once he'd tidied their workspace to his liking.

She nodded, lifting her wand. " _Augumenti."_ Water shot from her wand and into the pewter cauldron. She immediately cast blue flames to heat it.

Nott quickly threw in the African Sea Salt, effectively curing the water, and readying them for the next step.

She reached for the bat wing, tearing off large chunks before depositing them into the rapidly bubbling water.

"No, Granger," Nott said, stalling her actions and retrieving the bat wing from her. "Tear it like this." His long dexterous fingers took the soft skin in his hands and tore them horizontally in neat, thin strips. "Makes it dissolve quicker."

"Does it?" she all but sneered. Then, feeling somewhat childish, she calmed slightly and asked, "How do you know so much about potions, anyway? Are you just a natural?"

"Something like that." He chuckled and the deep sound rumbled through his chest. "My grandfather was a potions master. You could say it's in my veins, not to mention I had some extracurricular training at home."

"I didn't know that about your grandfather." She continued shredding the bat wing as he instructed, never one to purposefully disregard the proper technique. Maybe her partner assignment wasn't so bad after all, especially if she could learn a few things.

His eyes hardened and his jaw clenched. "That's because he's only ever remembered for being an original member of the Knights of Walpurgis. Nothing he could ever do would overshadow that black mark."

Hermione swallowed, but she could think of nothing comforting to say. "I'm sorry," she said simply, reaching across him for the jar of lavender. "It's not very fair, is it?"

"We all have weakness in us, some are just better at succumbing to it."

"What about you, Nott? What does the future hold for you?" She carefully extracted the lavender liquid and measured it into the cauldron.

"I'm to be married soon," he answered candidly.

"Married?" she repeated, aghast. She was quite surprise at how honest he was willing to be with her. Weren't Slytherins usually full of secrets?

"Who's the lucky girl?" she tried to keep the edge of curiosity from her voice.

"Tracey Davis, we were promised to each other when we were toddlers," he chanced a glance in her direction, and reading her shocked features rushed on, "you wouldn't understand—it's a Pureblood thing."

"I guess I wouldn't," she replied coldly.

Hermione reached for the basket of Boomberries and began squeezing them into the potion, which had turned a bright shade of purple.

"You can get more juice out of them if you squeeze them like so."

Once more, Hermione watched as Nott worked, captivated by his every movement. It really was quite refreshing to watch a wizard who knew his way around a Potions Chamber. If she was being honest with herself, she may have called it the most attractive act she'd had the privilege of witnessing. The muscles rippled in his exposed forearms, his Oxford shirt folded up to his elbows. He stared intently at the cauldron, dropping in ingredients with a precision Hermione both admired and envied. Sweet Morgana, but his eyes were quite bottomless, probably made many a Slytherin girl swoon, if she had any guess. They were so dark, yet she could just make out flecks of gold in between the amber orbs. Stormy and intense—that was Nott in a nutshell. In a horrifying moment of clarity, she realized those brown eyes were staring straight at her.

Stuttering, she searched for something to say. "I take it you're not too keen on the idea of marriage, so soon after school," she hedged.

"It's not that," he once more, was quick to reply, "it's merely that Trace and I are friends, have always been so, but I've never seen her, and I doubt she's seen me, in a romantic way."

Hermione doubted very strongly that Tracey Davis didn't see Theodore Nott _in a romantic way_ , and briefly worried for the wizard's sanity.

"Sometimes friends, _good friends,_ make the best partners in life," she offered hopefully. She quickly thought of Ron, and how _so not the case_ that had been for them, but hopefully that would prove otherwise for Nott.

He smiled sadly, displaying perfectly white teeth. "I hope so."

Working quietly, and as if the two of them had been potions partners for years, they began extracting the petals from the flower heads, moving on to the next step in their assignment.

"Can you try explaining it to me—this _Pureblood thing_ I wouldn't understand."

"It's silly, really. Basically, I'm limited in my choices. The Davis and Nott family lines have not been crossed, so our fathers made an arrangement. I don't necessarily have to follow through, but I'm obligated to do so."

"You shouldn't do something just because you're obligated to," Hermione informed him rather bluntly. "You do have the freedom to decide for yourself, you know."

Together, they began gathering their petals and depositing them into the frothy potion, turning it a bright shade of maroon.

He smirked. "I wish it were that easy. I wish everything were as black and white to me as it is for you, but unfortunately there are massive amounts of shades of grey to contend with."

Hermione scowled, readying the mint leaves. "I see shades of grey," she argued. "I was in a war, you know. I suppose I'm a bit more black and white on matters of the heart."

"Fair enough."

Hermione decided she wasn't very keen on the unusually kind look he bestowed on her, or the easy going way in which they worked in synch with each other, as if they'd been doing so for ages—it was all very off-putting.

"What about you?" he asked. "Any plans for Gryffindor's Golden Girl?"

"I really wish you lot would _stop_ calling me that." She paused as she sprinkled the leaves into the cauldron. "And no, actually, it's all rather regrettably up in the air."

"Having second thoughts?"

"You could say that. My mind tells me one thing but my heart says another."

"I would guess the all-knowing-follow-your-heart-advocate would go for the latter."

Hermione's lips twisted up in a smirk. "You and Ginny both."

Nott's nose wrinkled slightly before he could school his features. "I don't have anything in common with the She-Weasel."

She rolled her eyes, turning her and Nott's potion counter-clockwise the instructed ten times, before letting it sit.

"It's got the rose-colored hue to it," she observed. "Not very clear yet."

"It will be once it sits for five minutes. We've brewed a perfect potion."

Her heart swelled at the praise, even if it was a team effort. "Have we? I suppose I wouldn't mind being paired with you again."

"You're not so horrible either, Granger."

Hermione laughed freely, enjoying the wizard's company, and getting that odd feeling once more that something pleasant exuded from the wizard. _It's merely that his pheromones call to my pheromones,_ she reasoned. _It happens, and there's no predicting it._ She observed Nott quietly as he watched the churning liquid in their cauldron, seemingly entranced by it. _He's much more kind than people think—gentle even—in some aspects._

"The Ministry is where I think I'm headed," she said, breaking the silence. "In some faction or another."

He turned the heat of his gaze on her. "I could see you as the Mistress of Magic one day."

Hermione felt briefly stunned, and her tongue turned to lead in her mouth as she flipped his words over in her head. _Mistress of Magic? Had he really said such a thing? It was so…complimentary._

"Er, thanks," she said. "That's entirely too kind of you. Especially considering there's never been a female or a Muggle-born MoM in the history of the Ministry."

"I'm sure you could break the mold."

There was that feeling again, of being skewered by depthless brown eyes, orbs swirling like liquid pools of amber and somehow bidding her nearer. It was impossible of course—one could not be prodded closer just by someone's eyes. Yet he was still staring, and she was meeting his gaze boldly, and her heart was in turmoil, because it was all so odd and so foreign to her. _Not to mention impossible to pursue—the bloody man's betrothed to Davis._ An inexplicable sorrow filled her chest, and she was thankful when Slughorn approached their workstation.

"Absolutely perfect," the professor said, reaching in to fill two vials in rapid succession. "This is how _Veledari's Valentine Concoction_ should look like, textbook really, but I'd expect nothing more from my two best pupils!" Slughorn leaned in to take a whiff and hummed his approval. "Blueberry ink and Woodburn fires—delightful! O's for the both of you."

Hermione beamed under his praise, before reaching for the vial the teacher had handed them.

"What do you smell," she queried, turning to Nott.

"Ladies first," he gestured to her. His face was once more, unreadable.

She unpopped the stopper and took a deep inhale. "Summer rain and jasmine." Her mind felt briefly hazy before she restopped the glass.

Nott took a whiff of the potion. "Cinnamon and cloves," he said, and handed her back the potion.

"You can have it." She pushed the potion back to him. "You're the reason it turned out so well anyway. Give it to your Valentine," she said with a wry smirk.

"Perhaps I will."

Hermione straightened from her seat, grabbing her bag and stuffing her belongings into it, before slinging it over her shoulder. "See you later, Nott."

"Theo," he said donning his robes.

"Hmm?"

"It's Theo. I mean, that's what you can call me—it's what my friends call me."

"So we're friends now?"

He shrugged. "I'd like for us to be."

She smiled. "I'd like that too."

"So can I escort you to Runes?"

"Runes?" She furrowed her brows in confusion. "I forgot you had that class with me."

He chuckled once more. "We're in all the advanced classes together, Granger."

They walked towards the classroom exit. "If I'm calling you Theo, you may as well call me Hermione."

"Fair enough, _Hermione_."

She liked the way he said her name way too much for comfort. It rolled off of his tongue in something like a smooth caress.

The hall was bustling with students by the time they entered the corridor. Hogwarts really was quite crowded, with so many returning eighth years and parts of the school being mended. She fished for her Advanced Runes book and quickly retrieved it from her bag, pressing it against her chest as she walked alongside the Slytherin.

"We're getting looks," Hermione noticed.

"No more than usual. Most students are troubled by the return of those of us that ended up on the wrong side of this war."

"That must be hard to bear. Not sure I could stand so many stares."

"You get used to it," he explained.

"Are you sure Davis won't be angry you…escorted someone else to class?"

"Again—not the Pureblood way. We don't do things the way muggles do."

"That's kind of sad, Theo. If I had a boyfriend," she paused when she saw the look he made, "or an _intended_ ," she amended, "I would want to do romantic-like things with him."

"We don't always get that luxury, and as I've told you; we aren't romantic with each other."

"You're just going to be forced to marry and have children in a matter of months," Hermione stated matter-of-factly.

"Er, yes, there's that." He turned to face her with a look that could only be described as derisive. "But I can always decline."

"That you can," she agreed. "It's a new world. Traditions are fine and all, but not so long as they hurt those they are forced upon."

Theo nodded his agreement. "That's why I wanted to give you this," he withdrew the vial they'd made from his robe's pocket.

She eyed the potion dubiously. "But you're supposed to give that to your Valentine," she reminded him. "Why do you want to give it to me?"

"Why? I don't know, perhaps because I can, perhaps because for just a few more months, I have the freedom to decide who I'm interested in. Or maybe because I just want to, Hermione. You are an intriguing witch after all."

Her cheeks flamed crimson, and like often times happened with him, her thoughts fled her mind and she couldn't think of the appropriate thing to say. "Er…thanks Theo. That's very kind of you."

 _What a tricky situation I've wandered in_ , she mused. _There is something not quite normal between us, but can I even pursue it?_

"Dirty Death Eater," someone called from among the crowd.

Her head whipped around to see Seamus, standing bold as brass, with a couple of seventh year Gryffindors flanking him.

"Really, Finnigan?" Hermione asked with a sneer. "I'd have expected better from someone of my own house."

Theo wouldn't deign to look at him. "Come on, let's go." He gently tugged her away. "There's no point engaging—always ends the same anyway."

Seamus stood with a look on his face that could only be described as confused. "Oi, 'Mione. What you doing with that Death Eater scum?" he scorned cruelly.

Righteous fury boiled just at the surface, and she feared she may explode. Not even Ron or Harry, who had actually fought in the war, _not_ cowered safely in the castle, would dare utter such hatred.

"What am I doing?" she repeated frigidly, glaring at the Gryffindor with anger burning in her eyes. The realization he had erred was quickly dawning in Seamus' eyes. "I'll tell you what I'm doing," she informed him recklessly. "Or better yet—I'll show you."

Her stomach clenched violently, but she did not stop to consider her actions before she was spinning to face Theo, and reaching for the collar of his robes in order to pull him closer…close enough to slant her mouth over his, and snog him soundly for all the second floor corridor to see.

Theo was for his part, just as surprised as their captive audience and initially frozen in place. But then his hand wandered to the small of her back while his other hand sought purchase around her hip, and he pulled her against his Quidditch-hardened physique, the pleasant smell of him invading her nostrils. _Cloves…sweet tobacco…and something distinctly masculine,_ she thought rather giddily.

Blood thundered behind her ears, but then he was kissing her back, participating with equal fervor. Sweet Morgana, but the man could snog. The hallway was positively spinning around her, and she soon forgot about the witnesses, submitting fully to the skillful wizard before her and the delightful sensations he elicited from her.

Merlin, but this couldn't just be a kiss, it was far too good— _too right_ —to simply be that.

Hermione suddenly got the rather silly notion that the two were made for each other, sort of like two pieces of a puzzle that fit together seamlessly. _The cure to my storm._ The thought flickered madly across her brain. Dizziness hazed her mind but she found she rather liked the feeling— _perhaps too much._

Jolted back to reality by the sound of a catcall and several whistles, she broke away, the small movement taking up more effort than she would have thought it would.

There _was_ a point, hadn't there been a point? Hermione couldn't remember for the life of her. But then she stared up into Theo's face, open and quite vulnerable, and awareness crystallized in her eyes. Flipping chestnut curls over her shoulder with a flourish, she spun once more to face a now-stunned Seamus.

"That's what I was doing, Finnigan," she said cuttingly. "Any more questions?"

He put his hands up in surrender, his face blushing bright red. "No trouble here, 'Mione." He backed away, and then got enough courage to turn and leave.

She turned back around, pointedly ignoring the observers who were quietly going about their way amid curious glances. "Sorry about that," she murmured sheepishly, before chancing a glance at the Slytherin. His features were inscrutable as always, but she didn't detect coldness—just warmth.

"That was…rather reckless," he said, his breathing still distractedly uneven. "Ever the Gryffindor, I suppose."

"It was a bit… _rash_ ," she agreed, her knuckles turning white from the grip she had on her skirt. "I just hate it when I see an injustice."

"Is that all?" His brows lifted challengingly.

Hermione bit her lip, afraid to answer him, but pulled upon her inner lioness to do so. "Well…should you ever find your obligations shift—"

"Yes?" His eyes were even more intense than before, how was that possible?

"Let me know." She had the fleeting desire to pull back the bold words once she'd uttered them, but there would be no taking them back, _she didn't want to._

Theo smiled, a real genuine smile. "They already have."

Her eyes widened in surprise at the declaration, a funny feeling as if cornish pixies were flapping their wings rapidly behind her ribcage brought back the prior dizziness. The cautious part of her wondered if he wasn't simply playing her—did things like this really happen so quickly? But there was truth in his amber gaze, and she was unable to deny it.

He raised his arm in offering, and brazenly she looped her arm through his. Her stomach was in knots, and damn if her heart wasn't also, but she'd learned that sometimes making decisions in life required a little bravery.

 **OoOoO**

* * *

 ** _Please let the author know what you think!_**


	4. Chapter 4: Remembered

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 4,228

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

* * *

 **Story Title :** _Remembered_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Romance/Bittersweet Romance

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** Ronald Weasley/Pansy Parkinson

 **Summary :** A love story that wasn't meant to last that spans years with: children, heartache, romance and true love. They both just wished it had lasted a little longer.

* * *

 **Remembered**

* * *

He remembered his life as they walked down the platform, feeling as if no time had gone since he was last here as a child himself. His hand on his son's shoulder, watching as everything slowed down around him. Her head turning over her shoulder, hair slowly splaying around her back as he met her illuminated eyes, the beat of his heart thumping in his ears as her smile spread over him.

He remembered the comments that they wouldn't work.

He remembered how he had been stupid enough to listen, how he broke her heart, how he watched her fall to her knees as the strong woman he had known broke in half.

He remembered when he next saw her in the coffee shop, a place she should never have been in and sat with someone she shouldn't have ever been with; Someone that didn't deserve her time or her company. He remembered scrunching up the desire to go over and tell her this, as if it was parchment that he no longer needed.

He remembered wished he had gone over, wishing that he had taken the chance to say he was sorry.

He felt his chest tighten when she entered the birthday party, her tight dress highlighting the figure that had often been hidden by her uniform. The unique features that he had once teased her about were suddenly so defining, so beautiful.

He remembered the comments that they'd be perfect together after all the dismissive ones from before; he remembered how he snorted into his drink. He remembered how they didn't listen, choosing to say nothing, or in her case, roll her eyes and flip her hair.

* * *

She remembered her eyes lingering a little longer over his face.

She remembered punching Draco in the arm for suggesting she speak to him and the pain that hitting him brought. She remembered his ridiculously smug grin as he teased her about fancying him.

She remembered regretting that she didn't go over, instead choosing to waste time.

Her hair spraying behind her as she grinned at him with a grin that took his breath away. His fingers spreading out as he rested his palm proudly on his son's shoulder. The scarlet train beside them, its smoke filling the platform. She felt her chest boom with happiness, seeing his blushing cheeks rise as he sent her one of his grins, the one that made her knees weak, the one that only she made him do.

She remembered when he burst into the hospital room, watching his first love, his best friend, _his Hermione_ give birth to her godson. She remembered how his eyes fixed on her as she held the little blonde boy, the little Granger - Malfoy hybrid that made her ache for one of her own. She remembered being overcome with regret and other obscure emotions she couldn't handle, handing the baby back as she exited the room in a flash. Her heels hammering against the marble floor, his hand catching her and spinning her to face him, and she remembered hating that he came, hating that he had seen her look so weak.

She remembered resisting, pulling from him when her body yearned for him. She remembered freeing her arm before he had even said what he came to say; She remembered being mad that she had done that and hating that she always ran from him. She remembered regretting that she did it time and time again. She remembered the painful look upon his face that she had yanked herself free from him, the disappointment that cruelly jabbed at her heart.

She remembered the pent up tears that were formed from anger. She remembered him walking away and that she hated him for walking away all over again, for leaving her so weak, so lonely.

Yet she never changed. She hated that she never changed.

* * *

He remembered wishing to see her. Banging on her door as he held wilting flowers, the rain hammering down on his suit. He remembered feeling like a fool, half breaking down outside her house, begging her to give him a chance.

He remembered drinking that night. He remembered arguing with those he loved for weeks, and he remembered regrets consuming him as he tried to fight the part of him that wanted her.

Unsure why he was doing it anymore, remembering a time long ago when he could recognise himself, but he no longer recognised the man in the mirror because that man was broken.

He remembered standing in the rain, his back resting against the wall of his childhood home. He remembered seeing a shadow in the distance.

He remembered being fixed in a moment.

* * *

She remembered the invite for her godson's birthday, she remembered scoffing that it was there, _at the Burrow._ She remembered the lecture that they were Hermione's family and she needed to confront her fears or get over them. She remembered being angry that Draco was always so cold with her, wishing that he could understand, that he would show sympathy.

She remembered sliding down her wall as she consumed enough whiskey to kill her. She remembered smashing her home in a fit off loss and pain. She remembered the baby. She remembered the loneliness of him being away, how when he returned he didn't want her anymore. She remembered holding it together even as he packed up his things, not knowing what _they_ had _lost_ when he had been away, what _she_ had lost because she should have been more careful. She remembered sinking to her knees when he closed the front door, how it was just her now, empty and alone.

She remembered hearing him bang on the door, ready to right his wrongs. To take back words he had shouted, to rid of the pain she had felt corrupt her since they had split. She remembered making a choice not to answer, because those wrongs weren't ready to be righted.

She remembered deciding to go, and appearing in the hay field.

She remembered seeing his face light up at the sight of her, her heart skipping a beat, and she hated that it did, hated that he still owned her, that she still felt just as strongly for him as she always had.

His body was moving closer, the two of them walking quickly towards one another, both hoping, praying that they'd crash into one another, the broken pieces of themselves forming with the others and making something better.

* * *

He remembered the world changing below their feet as their lips met, the sky changing, the sun appearing, the birds singing and the wind silencing. He remembered never feeling so alive, so free and so _complete_. He felt her skin under his hands, he traced her lips with his and he felt her tears, wiping them away as quickly as they appeared.

He remembered feeling like he had fallen in love all over again.

He remembered the words that he should have said time ago. He remembered saying them then, in the midst of their reunion and her hand coldly slapping him for it before bringing him back in for a kiss. He remembered feeling like he could run into battle and win, he remembered how empowered he felt with her.

He would never forget that moment.

* * *

She remembered slapping him, her palm stinging as he said that he loved her, that he had never stopped and that _it was always going to be her_. She remembered fleetingly hating him, wishing bitterly to say it was too late. But she locked her lips on to his; the warmth in her fingers at feeling like she was someone and that she was worth something.

That she had fallen in love, no, that she was in love.

That the pieces of her that she had thought were long ago broken, fixed before her eyes, her bones feeling like they once did and her heart feeling like it could power her through an entire decade, and not just a day.

She remembered hoping that this love would never end, that this was it, that everything was perfect.

* * *

He remembered walking hand in hand to the Burrow, the smirking faces of people who had once doubted them. He remembered not caring either way. He remembered wanting to take her up to his old room, he remembered how she told him no and he had never found her sexier.

He remembered holding her against him. He remembered her laugh as she surprised him with how sweet it sounded. He remembered those days that turned to weeks, weeks that turned to months. He remembered her sitting on the step of her staircase, a box in his hand as he set to move back in. He remembered her tears over her fears that it would unravel again.

He remembered the fight that came from it, the omission of the night she always went too when she wished to blame him. The secret that she had carried around, burning her, weighing her down that made him feel nothing but pain when it hurtled at him unexpectedly. He remembered them coming together in a mix of loss and grief. He remembered kissing her like it was her last, he remembered holding her and telling her that he'd never forget what they had lost. He remembered saying that their baby would always be remembered as their first.

He remembered the scream of yes when he had barely gotten the question out, her hand slapping his shoulder for _scaring her_. The sparkle on her finger as she proudly showed it to their friends, tears twinkling in her eyes. He remembered their new beginning and how happy he was that they were here.

He remembered saying _'I do_ '; He remembered holding her lower back, his fingers sliding up her cheek into her dark hair, and he remembered kissing her as if she was the oxygen he needed to breathe. He remembered them being introduced as Mr and Mrs Weasley.

He remembered dancing with her until his feet hurt, her smile looking more glorious than it ever did. He remembered the two of them spying Ginny talking to Blaise at the bar, the devious grin upon his new wife's face as she set her Slytherin mind-set into gear. He remembered never being this happy as he watched her go over and match make, his eyes drifting to the couples around him and wondering when things had become so perfect.

He remembered sharing a look with his best man, the green eyes smiling as he held the blonde witch in his arms. He remembered asking when he was going to make an honest woman out of Luna, the innocent tap of his suit pocket before adjusting his circular glasses and the glee he felt that another wedding was on the horizon.

* * *

She remembered floating; she remembered all of her failures being fixed as he held her on their first dance. She remembered saying only three sarcastic remarks, a record he had told her, her hand playfully slapping his chest. She remembered the cake and the dance with her godson who was able to do a wiggle that made her 'aww' and her friends look at her worryingly.

She remembered him saying how beautiful she was when she felt like nothing but. She remembered him carrying her up the stairs, that she was precious cargo. She remembered him running out of the room at the threat of the curse if he ever called her that again.

The pain, the excruciating pain, his hands on her cheeks as he tipped her heads back, her legs up, bent. His eyes meeting hers, his lips speaking words that made her snarl and laugh. His words painting stories that she loved, that they both loved, as she gritted her teeth, as she cried and sobbed.

She remembered hearing their daughters cry as she entered the world.

* * *

He remembered feeling like he couldn't love anyone more than he loved his wife. He remembered that changing when he saw his daughter. He remembered holding her, a mixture of him and her.

Her little yawn that looked so much like his wife's did when she was tired. His lips pressing into his wife's forehead as he wished to convey how thankful he was.

He remembered telling her how proud he was, he remembered promising her that was it, that she had given him more than he could ask for.

He remembered that changing when their son was born.

He remembered kissing her more searingly than any kiss he had given her before.

* * *

She remembered biting her nails, her eyes on the clock.

She remembered the candle flickering, the silence in the house as their children slept. She remembered him coming in, bruises and cuts galore. She remembered her throat hurting as she held back the poison laced words she wanted to cry at him, her anger diminishing as she flung her arms around his neck as he held her, both wishing to never let go.

She remembered cleaning him up, both sinking to their knees as she sobbed into his shoulder, his hand on her waist as she held him tightly. She remembered begging him to quit his job. She remembered being frightened and vulnerable.

She remembered him carrying her to bed.

She remembered him making love to her that night like never before.

* * *

He remembered waking up sore from a raid that they weren't prepared for. He remembered the tear tracks on her pale face. He remembered the guilt at her trembling form as she begged him to not go. He remembered holding her as they came together as one and he wished to never cause her worry like that again; He remembered the way she curled into him as she slept, he remembered her whispering his name in the morning as she applied healing balm to his wounds.

He remembered quitting being easy.

He remembered carrying Parker on his shoulder to George's shop, he remembered Peyton moving behind the till, looking so much like her mother.

He remembered going home with new tricks from work, and his wife's disgruntled expression that their son had blown up his bedroom.

He remembered when his red hair began to fade. He remembered her saying how handsome he still looked.

He remembered the sound of their third child. He remembered losing the bet to Hermione and having to name their third child what she chose. He remembered the utter glee as their son came into the world, the baby blessing as he held him close to his chest, introducing Piers to his older brother and sister.

He remembered her saying that there would be no more, and he remembered having to agree.

* * *

She remembered her first grey hair. Set in a mass of dark locks and sticking out like a broken broom. She remembered crying stupidly, and staring at a picture of them from their wedding, wondering where the years had gone.

She remembered kissing Peyton's cheek, her hands not willing to let go of her princess, how she held her close as she tried to bite back her emotions.

She remembered giving Draco a black eye for joking that he had thought _for all those years that she was dead inside_. She remembered Hermione giving her a hug for doing it, she remembered her husband never been more attracted to her.

She remembered lying across his chest, his hand in her hair, telling him that she had always hated him, until she didn't. She remembered that he laughed and she loved that he did.

She remembered not wishing Piers to grow up and being upset when he began talking back.

* * *

He reached out to tug her close as she held their youngest, their other son caught in the middle of their hug, never wishing to be left out of anything as their daughter watched on with a look that was so ' _Parkinson'_ he had to laugh. He remembered her saying the same, their eyes drifting up to the youngest on her hip, his bright red hair and his brown eyes like hers.

She crouched down, to their eldest son and he heard her tell him that she was proud of him, that he was so much like his daddy that he was guaranteed to be a lion. He watched as his daughter scoffed, taking her youngest brother's hand with a sarcastic wave. He remembered telling her that she was her miniature through and through.

He remembered her warning that he should watch his back and that he could find himself outvoted by Piers when he went to Hogwarts and joined _the snakes_.

He remembered finding out that Parker was a Gryffindor and the joy he had felt.

* * *

She held the letter close to her chest; their youngest little boy, Piers, had gotten into Slytherin and Scorpius was his prefect. She had never felt so proud.

She watched as her husband handed her best friend several galleons at the news, watching with a smirk as Hermione plaited the youngest of their brood, the younger of their two girls.

Her eyes moving to her husband's, a look in his eye that she quickly got rid off with a knowing stare and a 'I don't think so' hand on hip. That her body was finally back and that three was enough, that his mother had been crazy. She felt his laugh vibrate through her body.

* * *

He carried her to bed, her hand covering her eyes as she squirmed with laughter against his chest.

He dropped her onto their sheets, a look in her eye that was a mix of lust and love. A look he had never found more beautiful on anyone else, ever.

He held her cheek as he kissed her lips, their house back to being just theirs for several weeks. He looked over at her as she handed him a chocolate frog and he had never loved her more.

Except that he did.

* * *

She felt the day that their daughter got married came out of nowhere. She remembered Peyton asking if she was doing the right thing, her hand trembling around her bouquet. She whispered that love made no sense and if she felt love then to run with it. She remembered saying how she wished she had fought for her dad; she remembered how that was enough as her daughter calmed.

She cried with happiness as her baby became a Malfoy. She remembered never being happier as Scorpius twirled Peyton around the dance floor.

* * *

He remembered the triumph when his son held hands with Albus. That it had been a long time coming as his wife had said. He remembered being nothing but ok with it, to the surprise of his son. He remembered hugging Albus and welcoming him to the family, he remembered the tears in Parker's eyes.

He hugged Harry as their children married; His wife stood rolling her eyes exactly like their daughter did. He remembered his wife crying secretly behind the tree and he remembered kissing her and wiping them away, their eyes moving to Piers as their last baby.

* * *

She remembered when Piers said that he wanted to travel. She remembered him falling in love with all women and boys. She remembered saying that he was like his Uncle Blaise and one day he'd marry a fiery witch or wizard who'd keep him on his toes, just like he had.

She remembered climbing into bed in their lonely house, how she wished they'd downsize a little now that it was just the two of them. She remembered how he held her close, their eyes looking over at the photographs that were waving from the dresser in their bedroom.

She remembered them agreeing to not want to lose the memories.

* * *

He remembered the day he first realised he was old. How he had been sat in St. Mungo's for several hours after a bad fall from his broom. He remembered her seething at him for being a _foolish twit._

He remembered being the butt of the joke with the men, he remembered how even his children teased him. He remembered telling them he'd get them back.

He remembered that coming true when Harry began to go bald and Hermione began to get wrinkles around her eyes. He remembered coming home with a broken nose and his wife having no sympathy for him, her response being only _I always knew I liked Granger._

* * *

She remembered holding her daughter's hand, squeezing it, suddenly feeling guilty towards her husband for near breaking his. She remembered soothing her as best as she could.

She remembered seeing their grandchild, her husband fainting at the reveal of twins.

She laughed when they grew hair, one red and one blonde.

She remembered teasing Draco with _'that one must be a Weasley_ '. She remembered them all repeating the line all night. She remembered Draco apologising and she remembered pretending to die from shock at him apologising before teasing him that he had gone soft.

She remembered loving that they had gone soft.

* * *

He remembered looking after their four grandchildren.

He remembered never being so tired before in his life.

He remembered telling them the story of how he fell in love with their grandmother, leaving out the bit where he had kissed their other grandmother.

He remembered holding her hand as they walked them to the platform, a mass of Potter's, Zabini's, Weasley's and Malfoy's. He remembered them making the front page for the millionth time since school.

* * *

She felt it when it all went wrong.

When it began to tumble from beneath her. When her grip on the truth and reality began to slip from her. She remembered pleading for more time.

She remembered having to say goodbye when she wasn't ready, she remembered looking into each of her children's eyes and telling them the truth. She hated how bitter the truth really tasted.

She remembered holding each grandchild, the feel of their youth and their energy, she felt like she had lost whatever game she wasn't meant to have played. Because life couldn't be this cruel normally, could it?

She felt it when she realised the fight was over. She was thankful it was just the two of them, red roses and chocolates, Valentine's Day traditions of sitting on their balcony but this year she was draped in blankets rather than silk.

* * *

He clutched her hand when it went cold as the balloon bobbed beside her. Their last Valentine's Day had gone and she had gone with it. He remembered wanting another minute and pleading for just that, wishing that he could attempt to battle death and bring her back.

He remembered how peaceful she looked, never having seen her look that way her entire life.

He wondered if she was looking down on him, telling him to get a grip.

The time of her passing was spoken as he felt the tears choke anything else he had to say away.

* * *

She welcomed him as soon as he arrived; she took him to her favourite spot amongst the clouds. Her hand parting them as they looked down on their grandchildren. She teased him mercilessly for holding on as long as he did. She kissed him with the entirety of her soul.

Telling him how much she had missed him and that it felt almost too long to be away from him.

She held onto him tighter than ever, never wanting to let him go again. They looked down on where their life once began, watching each child as they dealt with the same struggles they had, and watched as Piers finally settled down. She remembered feeling angry that he waited so long.

She remembered walking into the next light with him, their hands entwined like they always should have been. His eyes twinkling like they had done that day at the Burrow when he saw her again, the smile on her face she had been too proud to share.

* * *

He barely felt like it had been fifty years.

He didn't think he had long enough.

He had _really loved_ his life.

* * *

She had loved all of their fifty years. She loved that they never tried to be perfect and she loved that they were just who they were.

She had _really loved_ her life.

* * *

He _loved_ Pansy Parkinson.

With _his_ heart and soul.

* * *

She _loved_ Ronald Weasley.

With all _she_ had.

* * *

 ** _Please let the author know what you think!_**


	5. Chapter 5: Grovel

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 1,302

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

* * *

 **Story Title :** _Grovel_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Comedy

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** Astoria Greengrass/Draco Malfoy

 **Summary :** Someone gets a little jealous when she sees Draco is showing Astoria too much attention. She develops a plan to break them up.

* * *

 **Grovel**

* * *

He actually laughed. No he _giggled._ He leaned in, whispering into her ear, and she smiled with a blush.

They were holding hands, talking about things that interested them. They spoke of things that they wanted to do; things they wanted to do with each _other_. They had done this everyday since the beginning of the school year when she somehow had won his affection.

How had she done it? What was her secret? So many other girls had tried but had failed at it. So how in the world had she done it?!

The sound of his chuckle made my pulse flutter. For years, I have loved him. For years, I have admired him, and I have been there for him throughout his entire life.

Why couldn't _I_ make him laugh like that? Why didn't he whisper cute, little things into _my_ ear? Why didn't he buy _me_ meaningful gifts? Why wasn't he holding _my_ hand? Why wouldn't he kiss _me_ with those velvety lips of his?

What made Astoria so bloody special? What did he have against _me_? I was pretty. I was smart. I knew everything about him.

But it wasn't me who he was complimenting. It wasn't my hair that he was playing with. It wasn't my eyes he was looking into.

He didn't want me. He told me he had never thought of me in such a way even though he had taken me to the Yule Ball and kept me by his side for three years.

All that had meant nothing to him. I had just been used as a repellent because he hadn't been ready for anything serious.

Then she comes along, and just like that, he's all googly-eyed like some pathetic sap in love.

He wasn't allowed to love. It didn't work that way with people like us. We were paired off for proper breeding and social status, and nothing more.

So why was he looking like he was falling head over heels for _her_?

Because he was. Draco was in love, and he wasn't in love with _me_.

But I was going to stop his foolishness. I was going to break them up, and I knew exactly how to do it.

*/*

I had to hand it to those Weasleys. I was not a big fan of them, but they were brilliant inventors, taking pre-existing ideas and perfecting them.

With a little planning (and me tricking some of the first years), I managed to get what I needed and added it to the love potion that the Weasleys had brewed.

I watched him with eagerness as he took a swig of his contaminated butterbeer. His eyes narrowed a little in confusion before he went back to talking to Theo, discussing about their latest win at Quidditch.

Nothing more happened. I was incredibly disappointed. I had been so sure it would have worked.

My thoughts immediately changed though, when Astoria sat down next to Draco and gave him a sweet-laced hello.

He didn't even acknowledge her.

She tapped his shoulder to which he turned his head, giving her a clueless look over. He asked her what she wanted. Quite bluntly too, as if he was annoyed with getting interrupted.

I watched as the younger girl's eyes filled up with tears, and she ran out of the Great Hall, weeping.

I rolled my eyes over her childish display. Draco was oblivious to it all, having no idea of the affect he had on her.

Then she walked in. No, not Astoria, but the _Mudblood_. The one who scored top grades, the one we all hated. The one Draco absolutely _loathed_.

His attention went right to her, as if he had immediately sensed her presence, and I eagerly anticipated what he was going to do next.

Draco's eyes followed Granger, intently watching as she walked one step after the other to her own house's table. Since she was the Head Girl, she was surrounded by other students. Most of them were females of a much younger age than we all were. More than likely, they were asking her questions related to their school work.

Draco's nose twitched. He licked his lips, and I admired his abundance of self-control, but any moment he would lose the battle he was fighting.

Theo questioned him, curious to know what he was looking at. Draco answered, and I smiled, somewhat smugly.

Why?

He hadn't even lied. He was already crumbling like a brittle biscuit. The tips of his ears turned red, and I found that he was cute when he was embarrassed like this.

Theo was giving him an odd look, and at first, he thought his friend was joking, but moments later, he learned that Draco was actually being serious. He scolded him like we had been taught (trained) to, reminding him that the Mudblood was too filthy for him. Draco didn't care though, and he told Theo to bug off. He got up after that, making his move.

I snorted in laughter when he puffed out a breath of air into the palm of his hand to check if his breath was fresh. He raked a hand through his perfectly styled hair, and he strutted (yes, he _strutted_ ) over to the Mudblood.

He addressed her as Miss Granger, making her raise her eyebrows in suspicion, and he bowed‒

I burst out, unable to keep my laughing suppressed at this point. The looks of the surrounding students (and not just from my own house) were priceless! The professors were caught in a trance of shock. And Granger, she was frozen in place with her mouth parted open just slightly.

He awaited with his hand out for her to take after having asked her on a date, and she did not know what to respond with.

When she closed her mouth and swallowed, discovering that he wasn't playing some horrid trick on her, she politely declined his offer, telling him that he was too pure for her.

He got down on his knees, pleading her for her forgiveness, snatching her hand and pecking it ever so lightly.

And that's when Granger looked toward the Slytherin table as it must have dawned on her that he was under some kind of influence.I wiggled my fingers, waving at her with a grin, letting her know that she had been thinking right. She huffed in disapproval and pulled Draco up from his knees, having no trouble getting him to follow her out of the Great Hall.

No doubt, she was on her way to the hospital wing for the antidote.

I sprinted after them. There was no way that I was going to miss the moment when he was released from the spell.

I was going to remember this for the rest of my life, and so was he.

* * *

 ** _Please let the author know what you think!_**


	6. Chapter 6: The Blind Date Fiasco

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 2,362

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

* * *

 **Story Title :** _The Blind Date Fiasco_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Romance

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy

 **Summary :** Hermione is set up on a blind date for Valentines Day by the ministry and she's nervous... but not because of the match, but because she's already happily dating someone in secret. How will she let her date down without hurting their feelings?

* * *

 **The Blind Date Fiasco**

* * *

"I can't believe I agreed to this," Hermione mumbled as she picked through her closet.

Ginny, who was flipping through a Quidditch magazine on her friend's bed, simply rolled her eyes.

"Just go with the that red button up top and black flowy skirt, like I told you an _hour_ ago."

Hermione pulled out both articles of clothing and pursed her lips. "I suppose this will do…"

"You know, for someone who _volunteered_ to do this, you sure are stressing an awful lot," teased Ginny.

"Well, of course I am!" Hermione said, turning to face her friend. "I don't know who this person is! It could be anyone! It could be…." She let out a shudder "Cormac."

Ginny snorted. "That would be hilarious."  
"No! That would be the absolute worst!" cried Hermione. She sat on the bed next to her friend and leaned her head on Ginny's shoulder. "Why did the ministry deem it worthy to set up a "Valentine's Day Blind Date Event" for all single witches and wizards?" she complained.

"Well, I'm pretty sure it's because they want us to start producing a ton of little magical babies to make up for all the loss during the war," Ginny said as she flipped another page.

Hermione lifted her head and gaped at her friend.

Ginny looked looked at her. "What?"

The frizzy-haired witch shook her head. "Nothing. I… I just didn't even think about that," she mumbled. Then she groaned and stood up to pace. "Great, now I'm wondering if they just pulled names out of a hat or if they actually used some sort of matchmaking spell."

"Do you think the Ministry would do that?" asked Ginny, watching her friend and was thankful she and Harry were currently engaged.

"Oh, I'm _positive_ they'd do something like that," Hermione stopped pacing and was torn on what to do, biting her lower lip in the process.

"Oh, just go meet the bloke and see who it is. Your curiosity will win over in the end or you'll stress yourself out so much you'll end up in a ward at St. Mungo's."

Hermione sighed and nodded in agreement as she started to change her clothes into the outfit Ginny picked out.

She stood in front of her friend when she was done, hands on hips, "You sure this looks ok? Isn't red overused on this holiday? Maybe I should wear blue or purple or-"

"Hermione. Stop. You look great," Ginny said, smiling at her friend. "Do you want me to help you with your hair?" she offered.

Hermione glanced at herself in the mirror, her hair going every which way on it's own. "Sure. Maybe a braid?"

Ginny nodded and had Hermione sit in front of her on the bed while she went to work, her fingers making quick work of putting the brunette's hair into a french braid.

Hermione put on small amount of mascara and some lipgloss, which, for her, was going 'all out'.

Ginny nodded in approval. "You look great, Hermione. Whoever is meeting you tonight is one lucky bloke."

Hermione let out a shaky, nervous laugh, "Thanks Gin. And… Thanks for coming over and helping me. I'm sure you and Harry have your own plans for this evening?"

Ginny nodded, a wide smile forming on her lips, "Yes, but he says it's a surprise." The redhead glanced at her watch, "I should probably get going so I can get ready. What time is your date scheduled for?"  
"Five o'clock at The Pegasus," the other witch recited.

"Oh! That's that new restaurant that opened in Diagon Alley, right?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. I've heard good reviews so I'm happy to be able to try it. I still have an hour until then but if I stay here in my flat any longer I will go _insane_. So, I think I'll go to Diagon Alley early and wander around the bookstore for a bit."

"Don't get too engrossed in a book that you miss your date," Ginny teased as she stood up.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Miss a get-together one time and you're branded for life."

Ginny smirked then gave her friend a hug. "Just have fun, Hermione. No matter who it is, ok?"

Hermione nodded.

"And owl me as soon as you get home," Ginny demanded as she made her way to the fireplace and scooped up some floo powder in her hand.

"Yes _mum_ ," said Hermione sarcastically. "Go. Have fun with Harry tonight."

"Oh, I plan on it." The redhead threw her friend a wink then vanished in green flames.

Once her friend had left, Hermione groaned and sat on the edge of her bed again, her head resting in her palms. She wish she could have told Ginny the truth - that she was actually quite happy and in a relationship and that this silly blind date was really unnecessary. But, for both personal and selfish reasons, they had both agreed on keeping it a secret... For now at least. When the Minister had made a meeting about this Blind Date business, Hermione had no intention of signing up for it. Kingsley, however, was very persuasive and Hermione found herself being booked for the most romantic day of the year… and it wasn't with the man she truly wanted to be with.

She had told him, of course, and he seemed a bit hurt by it, but understood why she couldn't back out; they were both not ready to come out into the open quite yet. They liked their privacy; not to mention a secret relationship was very alluring to the both of them, especially when they snuck away together in the middle of the day for a quick snog in a utility closet. They agreed that they could celebrate another day, just the two of them. Valentine's Day was just another day, right? Right.

A quick glance at her watch and she noted only two minutes had passed. Yes, she would definitely go insane if she stayed in the flat. She grabbed her wand and clutch then used the Floo to the Leaky Cauldron, hoping this evening will end quickly.

* * *

Hermione tried not to linger at the window of Flourish and Blotts, which just _happened_ to have a view of the restaurant where her date was to take place. She couldn't help if the best lighting was near that particular window, or that the book she wanted to read was on a nearby shelf ( _A Wizard's Guide to Unicycles_... Seriously?).

She saw many people going in and out of the restaurant, but all were coupled up on dates of their own. When she checked the time on her watch and it read 4:55pm, she sighed, put the book back the shelf, and left the comfort of books to the restaurant where she will probably have the most awkward and uncomfortable night of her life. Or worse.

Straightening her spine and taking a deep breath, Hermione mustered up her Gryffindor courage and walked over to The Pegasus, where the doors charmed open upon a customer's arrival.

She walked up to the hostess, who was a young with woman with light purple hair, and flashed her a smile. "Can I help you, miss?"  
Hermione smiled back, "Yes, I, uh.. I have a reservation, I think? The ministry set it up so I'm not sure who it's under."

The woman gave her a smile, "Name?"

"Hermione Granger. I don't know who's meeting me here…"

She received another smile. "We understand. The ministry set everything up. You will be at Table 7 and Gertrude will lead you there. Have a good evening, Miss Granger."

Hermione smiled back, before turning her attention to another witch with two menu's in her hand. "Right this way," she said.

As they wound their way through the restaurant, Hermione couldn't help but ask, "Is my date here yet?"

"No ma'am, you were the first to arrive," Gertrude supplied.

Hermione nodded absently and continued to follow the waitress in silence until they reached the table.

Hermione ordered herself a glass of white wine to help calm her nerves. She debated just leaving and going straight to….

No. She made a promise to Kingsly that she would do this, so she will stay. She will just come out and tell the bloke that she wasn't interested in dating anyone (or least him) and they can just enjoy their evening and maybe form a friendship. Yes, that sounded like a good plan.

After taking a lengthy sip of her wine, Hermione saw Gertrude coming towards her table again, with a man following behind her who she couldn't quite see. Though she thought she caught a glimpse of his hair...

Hermione's palms began to sweat.

Gertrude then stepped aside and the man who was walking behind her sat down across from Hermione, making her mouth fall open slightly and lose any coherent thought. She barely registered that the waitress had left and just kept staring at the man before her.

He lifted a brow and gave her his signature smirk, "Evening Granger. You look… nice, this evening."

His voice snapped her out her shock. She cleared her throat and said, "I could say the same about you, Malfoy."

He didn't say anything else as he lifted his menu and began reading from the list of choices. Hermione followed suit and did the same, though the words weren't quite registering to in her brain. She glanced over her menu and saw that he was staring at her above his. He flicked his eyes back to the menu for a brief moment before he closed it and set it on the table. He waited until she closed hers as well.

"Do you know what you're going to ord-"

"Do you want to get out of here?" he asked suddenly.

Hermione looked at him questioningly, "But.. our date is supposed to be here. The Ministry paid-"

"Exactly. The Ministry already paid for it, so whether we eat here or not, the restaurant still gets its galleons and we can go someplace less…"

"Crowded?" she supplied.

"Stuffy," he answered.

Hermione took a delicate sip of her wine. "I suppose we can go-"

She didn't have a chance to finish her sentence; Draco had stood up so suddenly and grabbed her hand, pulling her up. She tried to pull her hand out of his grip, but he only held on tighter as they wound their way through the restaurant.

"Is something wrong with your service?" the hostess called out after them.

"Everything is fine, we just… we'll be back another time," said Draco, giving the woman a charming smile which caused Hermione to roll her eyes while the hostess blushed and nodded. "Have a good-"

But her words were lost as the pair of them walked out of the restaurant, Draco's hand still gripping Hermione's tightly.

They walked silently and quickly around the building, until Draco finally stopped and pulled Hermione against him.

His lips crashed against hers and were met with the same intensity. His hands went to her hips, then circled around her, putting her flush against him. He licked her lips gently and she granted him entrance and they both moaned in satisfaction as they deepened the kiss.

"Thank Merlin it was you," he said once he finally stopped assaulting her lips to catch some air.

Panting, she smiled, "You didn't tell me you signed up for the blind date too."

"I wasn't planning on it," he said, as he kissed her lips quickly. "But Kingsley," Kiss. "He wouldn't," Kiss. "Take no," Kiss. "For an answer."

Hermione linked her hands behind his head and nuzzled her nose against his neck. "I almost walked out. Before you arrived I was close to just leaving and heading straight to your place. I didn't want to be with anyone else tonight."  
Draco sighed into her hair then rested his chin on the top of her head as he just held her, content. "Me either. I was ready to tell the person I was matched with that I was in love with the most amazing, smart, brilliant witch ever and she would just have to have dinner by herself."

Hermione looked up at him, but otherwise didn't move. "You… you love me?"

He rubbed his nose against hers. "Yeah. I do."

Hermione smiled and used her hands behind his head to pull him to her, giving him a searing kiss in response.

"I love you, too," she said finally.

He gave her one of his rare, wide smiles and it made her heart flutter with happiness.

He cleared his throat and straightened his features. "Miss Granger," he said with a tone of seriousness. "I think it's time we take our relationship to the next level."

She raised a brow at the blonde. "Oh? And what level would that be?"

"A date. A real one. One where other people can actually see us together." He grinned at her. "You up for it? Being out in the open about us?"  
Hermione smiled back and leaned up on her tip-toes, kissing him lightly on the lips. "Mr. Malfoy. I'd be honored."

They smiled at each other as they linked arms and walked out onto the busy street of Diagon Alley and finally, went on their very first date.

* * *

 ** _Please let the author know what you think!_**


	7. Chapter 7: She Who Must Not Be Named

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 4,488

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

* * *

 **Story Title :** _She Who Must Not Be Named_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Romance

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** Secret

 **Summary :** Bellatrix Lestrange, most loyal and devoted follower of Lord Voldemort, can be trusted with one of his most precious secrets: that sometimes even he needs to hide away from the world, where he can go back to being human, where he can be Tom Riddle. When he shares his secret hiding place with her, they bury a secret life there together. It is an existence never mentioned outside this place, until something occurs that could threaten not only their secret, but The Dark Lord's entire mission for the wizarding world.

* * *

 **She Who Must Not Be Named**

* * *

 _The woman felt something stir deep within her blood. Her arm, the one with the mark of her beloved Dark Lord, pulsed and tingled for the first time in many years. She ran her tongue over the mark. A loud noise made her look up. The walls crumbled around time. The dementors surrounding them seemed to have little reaction other than to watch. She stood up and looked at the sky, for although it was shrouded with dark clouds, it was sky and she had not seen sky in a while. The woman laughed as loud as the thunder around her. At last, the Dark Lord had returned! And he had come for her!_

At her Lord's bidding, Bellatrix had accompanied a group of Death Eaters to the Department of Mysteries. She did not fully know why this prophecy was so important to him, but she did not care. Bellatrix would always do what he commanded.

Somehow she had ended up trapped under a statue, watching as much as she could the battle that enraged between Voldemort and Dumbledore. In fire and water, they battled, a great test of magical ability, until Voldemort disappeared out of sight.

"MASTER!" she screamed! Surely the Dark Lord would not forget about her. He had come for her once before. She sobbed quietly. She could see Harry Potter out of the corners of her eye but did not know what was going on. She then saw green flames in the fireplaces of the Ministry of Magic: the Aurors. Bellatrix quietened her crying. If they saw her she would be sent back to Azkaban for sure. She could not go back, not when her Lord's greatest moment was close at hand.

In a moment she felt something grab her.

In the next moment she no longer saw the halls of the Ministry of Magic building. The statue that had trapped her was gone. Bellatrix looked around at her new surroundings. It was just a simple room, the only furniture being a bed and a small table with a lamp. In the corner of the room stood Lord Voldemort.

Bellatrix fell to her knees. "Master", she cried. "I am so sorry. I failed. Please forgive me!"

Voldemort reached out his hands to her. "Rise Bellatrix, you are forgiven".

His voice was tender, such as she had never heard in him before.

"I will never fail you again, my lord. I promise."

"There is no need for such formalities here Bella," he said quietly.

"And where is here?" Bellatrix asked.

Voldemort looked around. "This house has been abandoned for many years. Even I do not know who owned this house. I discovered it quite by accident. Now it is sanctuary for me."

Bellatrix's eyes widened. "Sanctuary? Why do you need sanctuary my Lord? You are the most powerful wizard of all time! You have nothing to fear!"

Voldemort's face was soft as he turned to face her. "Safety is only one thing I seek here. It is more that I seek quiet. A place where I am not surrounded by followers. Where I can be alone. That is why I say no formalities."

"My Lor-" she started to say. Then she stopped. "I realise I don't know what I should call you. You say 'my lord' is too formal, yet I have never called you anything else. I have never spoken your name."

"Are you afraid to say it, Bella?" Voldemort's voice was quiet, and possibly a little sad. Bellatrix could not tell. She had never seen her Lord as anything but composed and confident. "It is ok if you are," he continued. "Perhaps while we are here, it would be alright for you to call me Tom".

"Tom," she repeated. That didn't sound so intimidating after all.

"You must never use this name in front of anyone. Only whilst we are here may you call me this!" he warned.

"I promise…Tom." It would take some getting used to. There was one more thing she needed to know.

"Tom?" she asked. She stepped in closer to him so she could see his face in the light. "Why did you bring me here if this is a private place?"

Tom reached his hand out and rested it on her cheek. Bellatrix felt surprisingly comfortable with the gesture.

"I knew you would be safe here. I also knew that you could be trusted. That you would tell no one of this place." Tom stroked Bellatrix's cheek. "This is now our secret."

Bellatrix reached her hand and touched the hand on her cheek. She leaned her face into his gentle hand. "I promise. This will always be our secret."

"Come Bella," Tom said, turning from her. "We have had a long day. You must rest, my dear."

Tom reached back his hand for hers. Bellatrix hesitated. This was still very strange for her. For him to be so warm, so…human. Still, it was a good kind of strange. She had always imagined the possibility that he could have some care for her. That no matter what situation she was in, whether she was locked in Azkaban, or trapped under a statue in the Ministry of Magic, he would always come for her.

Bellatrix sat cross-legged on the couch and sipped from a china tea cup. Across from her sat her sister. Narcissa's eyes were tired from many sleepless nights filled with worry. Although Severus Snape had agreed with an unbreakable vow to help her son, Narcissa still spent many nights thinking about what would happen to her boy. Bellatrix could not understand why her sister was not honoured that The Dark Lord had personally singled out Draco for such an important mission. What she did understand was that Draco was her sister's world. If anything were to happen to him, it would almost certainly kill Narcissa, at least on the inside.

"He'll be fine, Cissy," Bellatrix said. "Draco is a smart boy. And it should ease your mind that someone in the castle will watch out for him. Even if it is Snape." Bellatrix's voice was filled with disgust when she said that name. Bellatrix did not trust Snape. She could never quite tell whose side Snape was on. She did not understand how The Dark Lord could trust him. Even in their time alone, the time he was only Tom, she was unsure about asking him. Even though she was unsure about Snape, of course it was only right for her to trust her master's judgement.

"I hope you're right Bella," Narcissa replied. "But the task is a heavy burden for a boy. Draco is already obsessing over it. I don't know whether he will cope with it…" Narcissa's voice trailed off. She could feel a tear starting to well in her eyes. Narcissa dabbed her eye with the sleeve of her gown. "I don't want to lose my son."

"You won't sister," Bellatrix said, putting her cup down on the table. "Draco will survive this!"

"You cannot be sure," Narcissa snapped. She took a breath and her face softened. "No one can," she said quietly.

"I trust The Dark Lord sister," Bellatrix said. She stood up and walked behind her sister's chair and put her hand on Narcissa's shoulder. "You should to."

Narcissa brushed off Bellatrix's hand and stood up to face her. "Enough about me," Narcissa said and waved her hand. "You said you wanted to tell me something. What was it?"

Bellatrix suddenly remembered why she had come to her sister and fear filled her.

 _Bellatrix opened her eyes and looked around. She wondered how long she had been asleep. Bellatrix turned over and saw that Tom was asleep beside her. Bellatrix had never seen Tom look so vulnerable. His eyes looked less intimidating when covered by his eyelids. She wondered whether Tom ever dreamed. Tom's eyes opened and looked straight into hers._

 _"Bella," he said quietly._

 _"We fell asleep," she replied, gazing into his eyes._

 _"Yes. It is ok Bella, we have time." Tom moved closer to her until his lips rested on her forehead. Bellatrix closed her eyes as he wrapped his arms around her._

 _"Time," she repeated. "Time."_

"Bella?" Narcissa interrupted her thoughts. "What is going on with you?"

Bellatrix looked at her sister. Tom had said to keep the secret between them. But she had to tell someone. She needed help.

"Cissy," Bellatrix said. "I remember now. Why I came to you."

Narcissa took Bellatrix's arm and led her over to the chair. "Come now sister, you do not seem like yourself. You must tell me what is going on."

Bellatrix sat down, and Narcissa knelt beside the chair, her hand still gripping Bellatrix's arm tightly. Bellatrix looked into her sister's eyes.

"Cissy," Bellatrix said and swallowed hard. She took a deep breath and forced the words out. "I am pregnant."

Narcissa's eyes widened. "What? You and Rodolphus?"

"No," Bellatrix said. She grabbed her sister's shoulders and gripped them hard. "Not his. Not my husband's child!"

"But who…" Narcissa stopped herself from asking. Bellatrix was shaking uncontrollably. "Calm yourself Bella!"

"I can't go back there! Back home! I can't! Rodolphus! Rabastian! They cannot know!"

"CALM YOURSELF!" Narcissa repeated, more forcefully than before. Bellatrix bit her trembling lip and tried to slow down her breathing. Narcissa pulled her sister into a tight embrace. "Shhh," she cooed and stroked her sister's hair. When Bellatrix had calmed down, Narcissa pulled her away, but kept hold of her arm. "You must stay here. Until you deliver this child. Draco is off to Hogwarts, and with Lucius in Azkaban it will be only you and I. Stay here until your child is born. Then we can work out what to do."

Bellatrix sighed deeply. She was still frightened, but more relieved. "Thank you sister," she said and hugged her sister again.

Narcissa stood up and turned away from Bellatrix. "PIPPIN!" Narcissa roared. A few moments passed and a frail little house elf appeared.

"Yes mistress," Pippin squeaked, straightening the sackcloth she wore.

"Prepare a room for my sister, elf," Narcissa said coldly. "She will be staying with us for a while. You must obey every order she gives you while she is here. Do you understand?"

The house elf bowed low. "Yes mistress." Pippin shuffled away to prepare a room as ordered.

"Cissy?" Bellatrix said, standing up and moving next to her sister. "May I use some parchment and borrow one of your owls? I need to send a letter."

"Of course Bella," Narcissa said and gestured towards the library. "You are welcome to anything in this house."

 _My Lord,_

 _I wanted you to know that I am going to stay with my sister for a while at the Malfoy Manor. With Draco being at Hogwarts preparing to carry out your mission, and Lucius in Azkaban prison, my sister will be lonely and worried about Draco. When the time comes for Draco to perform the deed, I intend to guide my nephew through so that your wishes are carried out. I will come to you then._

 _I remain ever your most loyal servant._

 _Bellatrix Lestrange._

Tom read the note from a room in his private house. He understood the formality of the letter, though he wished for a moment that it didn't have to be that way. That she could write the way she talked when they were alone. That she could call him Tom, instead of calling him 'My Lord'.

Tom folded up the note and placed it on the table. The house was quiet without her there. He knew that she would not come to him while she was staying with Narcissa. She would have to explain her absences too much. It was too risky. Still, Tom could not help but feel that it would be a lonely few months without her.

Screams echoed throughout the entire mansion. Bellatrix squeezed Narcissa's hand so hard, Narcissa thought her hand would break. Narcissa had called the best midwife she knew, the woman who had helped her when Draco was born, to help her sister.

The pain was like nothing Bellatrix had ever felt before. She couldn't decide whether this was worse than having the Cruciatus curse used on her. It was excruciating. Then it was over. The midwife held the child in her hands and cleaned her tenderly. The baby was silent. Narcissa took a towel and wiped the beads of sweat from Bellatrix's head. Bellatrix breathed deeply. She was so glad that was all over.

The midwife handed her the small bundle. "Congratulations ma'am. It's a girl." Bellatrix cradled the bundle and looked down at her. Narcissa looked over Bella's shoulder and smiled down.

"She looks like you, sister."

Bellatrix let the child sleep in her arms. The child was perfect. How could she, who was so far from perfect, create something so beautiful? Bellatrix felt something inside her she had never felt before, and it was overwhelming.

Pippin nervously entered the room. "Excuse me, mistress Bellatrix?"

Bellatrix was annoyed that the pesky house elf would interrupt this moment. What could possibly be that important. Still, not wanting to wake up the child, Bellatrix chose not to yell. "What do you want, elf" she hissed.

"A letter has arrived for you mistress." Pippin handed her the envelope. Bellatrix stared furiously at the elf, until she noticed the unmistakable Dark Mark on the envelope. Bellatrix handed the child to Narcissa and snatched the envelope out of the elf's hand. She read the note silently and then glanced at her sister.

"It is time," she said. "Draco is ready for us. It will happen in a few days."

Narcissa nodded and swallowed hard. She cradled the baby in her arms tenderly. "Take care of my son, Bella."

Bellatrix placed her arm on her sister's shoulder. "Take care of my daughter, Cissy. Take care of my Delphini."

Tom stared out the window at the black sky. He knew that tonight he would have no more reason to be afraid. Dumbledore would be dead. With Dumbledore gone, Harry Potter would have even less protection. He would be vulnerable. He and his little school friends would be no match for Lord Voldemort. The time was drawing close where Voldemort could finally finish what he started. Where he would finally have revenge on the little boy who halted his plans all those years ago in Godric's Hollow with nothing more than love.

Love. Tom had never known the meaning of the word. He had never known the love of his mother, who died before he could know her. His muggle father had no love for any of them. He had grown up in that horrible orphanage and even at Hogwarts he didn't have any real friends. The closest thing he knew of love was…Bellatrix.

He knew she loved him. She would do anything he asked of her. Her loyalty was true, and not born from fear. And he had realized that perhaps it was possible he could love her too. Was it love? Tom did not know. But there was something that made him come back for her that night in the Department of Mysteries. He was prepared to risk everyone knowing that he was back to save her. That had to mean something.

He heard someone apparate in the room next to him.

"Bellatrix? Is that you?"

Tom ran into the next room and found Bellatrix sitting on the bed. Her smile was wide and wicked, her eyes fresh from the thrill of witnessing a kill. Her bloodlust was very appealing to him.

"It is done. Albus Dumbledore is dead!"

Lord Voldemort smiled. Deep inside, he felt a weight lift from him. "This is most glorious news, Bellatix."

Bellatrix stood up and stretched her arms. He relaxed and fell into her arms.

"My love," she said as she embraced him. "You don't have to be afraid of him anymore. You can finish what you started."

Tom heard Bellatrix's heart beating as he rested his head on her chest. He felt a sense of comfort. Dumbledore, the one wizard he had always feared, was dead. And he was sharing the moment with the one person he truly cared about. Tom lifted his head and kissed Bellatrix tenderly on her lips. If this was not love, it was the closest thing he would ever feel. If only she could live forever with him.

But only he could live forever. So this moment would have to do.

Narcissa sat in the dark of the cellar cradling Delphini in her arms. Narcissa hummed a soft lullaby and the little one slept. She kept the baby in a secret room attached to the cellar. It was the only place she could keep her secret from Lucius, who had been released from Azkaban; from Draco, who had returned from Hogwarts; from the Death Eaters, who now used Malfoy Manor to hold their meetings; and from The Dark Lord himself, who Bellatrix insisted could never know the truth. Bellatrix had finally confided in Narcissa about the parentage of her child, but said that a child would only complicate the Dark Lord's mission. Bellatrix had said how much she wished things could be different, how she wished they could be a real family. But Bellatrix was before all else a loyal servant of Lord Voldemort, and his mission must come first, even before a family life with Tom Marvolo Riddle.

It was Pippin the house elf that mostly cared for the child's needs. Narcissa never thought she would entrust a house elf with something as important as this. But she knew that a house elf was bound to keep a secret when she commanded it. Her power over the elf to command was the only security Narcissa could trust right now. Narcissa placed the child back in her crib and closed the passageway to her room. Narcissa went upstairs and found her son Draco, and stood by his side. Across the room she saw three young people that looked to be around Draco's age being dragged across the room, two held by snatchers. Bellatrix was holding the other one and beckoning her nephew to come to her. Draco's shoulder shifted in Narcissa's hand and he stepped forward. Narcissa realized that this could be Harry Potter. It could be all over tonight.

Bellatrix was proud to stand by her Lord as they invaded Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unlike some of the Death Eaters, including her weak sister, Bellatrix had no reservations about killing whoever stood in the Dark Lord's way, even children. Bellatrix still believed in the Dark Lord's vision for the wizarding world, and would do whatever it took to make his vision a reality. It was a world she wanted their child to grow up in.

Voldemort had ordered them all to retreat to the Dark Forest. Voldemort believed that Harry Potter would come to him, and that there he can finally finish what he started many years ago. But it had been almost an hour past and he had not come.

"I thought he would come," Voldemort said and faced his followers. "I expected him to come." For a moment, he locked eyes with Bellatrix, who was sitting beside him. He looked almost sad. Voldemort had said that he did not wish to waste any more magical blood that night seeking out Potter. With a glance they considered that maybe now he had no choice. "I was, it seems…mistaken"

"You weren't" said a voice. Harry Potter emerged and Voldemort turned to face him. It was time.

The giant screamed out at Harry but was silenced. Bellatrix rose to her feet and breathed heavily.

Bellatrix watched anxiously as Voldemort raised his wand.

"Harry Potter…The Boy Who Lived." Voldemort's voice was quiet. Bellatrix noticed his hand tremble slightly as he aimed The Elder Wand at the boy standing in the clearing.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

The green light flashed and hit the boy, who crumpled to the ground. A blinding light filled the clearing and a force pushed Voldemort back and he fell to the ground.

"My lord…my lord!" Bellatrix forgot everything as she ran to his side. She offered him a tender hand of help. He let her touch his arm but only for a moment, conscious that the others were watching.

"That will do," he said. He got to his feet. Bellatrix attempted to help him but Voldemort waved her off. "I do not require your assistance." Bellatrix withdrew her hands from him, remembering that everyone was watching. Of course, they would suspect if she was not careful. Bellatrix swallowed and collected herself. Her gaze turned away from him to the boy on the ground. "The boy…is he dead?"

Narcissa edged forward and knelt beside the body. She stayed for a few moments. Then she stood up and faced the crowd of death eaters. "He is dead," she said confidently.

Bellatrix let out a loud cheer! It was over! The boy was finally dead. The boy who had plagued her lord for many years was finally finished. The future she had hoped for would finally arrived. And maybe, just maybe, she could have a real family with Tom and Delphini.

The Death Eaters marched into the castle. The giant carried the boy's limp body, guarded by Death Eaters. Bellatrix marched proudly next to The Dark Lord, basking in his victory. Now it was time for him to claim this world as his own.

An owl arrived at Malfoy Manor and landed by Narcissa, who sat quietly in the garden nursing Delphini. She tapped the letter with her wand and it opened in front of her gaze. The letter was from Rabastian Lestrange, Bellatrix's brother in law.

 _Narcissa,_

 _By the time you read this, I will likely be dead or imprisoned by Aurors in Azkaban prison. The battle is lost. Lord Voldemort is dead, Harry Potter was victorious. And I am sorry to report to you that your sister Bellatrix has also died at the hands of the blood traitor Molly Weasley. Many of Voldemort's followers have gone into hiding, but the Aurors of the Order of the Phoenix are tracking us down. It will not be long before we are found and killed or imprisoned. I do not know where anyone else._

 _I recommend that you hide as well and that you hide your son Draco. I am sure the Order are aware of Draco's involvement as an accessory in the death of Albus Dumbledore. You must hide._

 _I doubt we shall ever meet again. Good luck._

 _Rabastian Lestrange._

Narcissa fought back a tear from her eye as she looked down at the child in her hands. Her sister was dead. The Dark Lord was dead. This child was an orphan. Narcissa stood up and looked down at Pippin, the house elf. Narcissa was thankful that the elf had cared for the child while she was at the battle.

"Call my son to me," she commanded. Her voice was soft. A few minutes passed and Draco came to her.

"My son," she said quietly. "We must hide for a while. Pack some things and let us go swiftly."

Draco looked down at the child in his mother's hand. "What are you going to do with her?"

Narcissa smiled slightly. "Your cousin is coming with us."

Draco nodded silently and went back inside the house. Narcissa placed Delphini on the grass and removed her coat. Narcissa handed the coat to Pippin.

"You are free," she said quietly. "But I must ask if you will do one more thing for me."

Pippin's eyes widened as she looked up at her mistress. "Yes mistress, you have given me freedom but I will do this one more thing for you. What do you ask?"

Narcissa picked up Delphini and tucked her into her arm. "I need a letter delivered to Azkaban."

 _Rodolphus,_

 _I have sent my house elf to deliver you this letter as her last act before I have freed her. And this is the most important task this elf will ever perform in my service. I know that it is likely we will never meet again and I believe you should know a most important truth._

 _I have a child in my care that is the daughter of your wife, my sister Bellatrix. You must know the truth about her so that one day, at least one of us will be able to tell her. The child, Delphini, is the child of my sister Bellatrix and Lord Voldemort. Bellatrix kept this a secret from you, and from the Dark Lord so that his mission may never be compromised. She believed she must never be named in this way so that the Dark Lord may fulfil his vision for the wizarding world, a vision my sister believed in wholeheartedly and with absolute loyalty._

 _I have decided to take the child into hiding with me and raise her as my own daughter, telling her who she is when she is old enough to understand. Should anything ever happen to me, the child will likely be sent to an orphanage. If this happens, it will be up to you to find her, and tell her the truth about who she is, so that she may carry on the name of the noble house of Lestrange, and the legacy of the Dark Lord._

 _I wish for you that you may be released from your prison as soon as possible. I doubt that you and I will ever meet again._

 _Narcissa Malfoy._

* * *

 ** _Please let the author know what you think!_**


	8. Chapter 8: A Blue Expanse of Sky

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 1,289

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

* * *

 **Story Title :** _A Blue Expanse of Sky_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Romance/Drama

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood

 **Summary :** In the aftermath of the Battle of Hogwarts, Luna shows Neville what hope really means.

* * *

 **A Blue Expanse of Sky**

* * *

It was over.

The simple words careened around his brain, expelling all other thought.

Neville chuckled at the absurdity of it: _he_ had been the one to wield the sword that killed Nagini, making the victory possible. The fact seemed as unlikely as seeing the sky through the ceiling of the Great Hall—the real sky, not the one cushioned and disguised by an ancient charm.

Yet the evidence in the form of a bloody sword was still in his hand, and stories above his head, he could see a blue expanse of sky.

Neville stumbled through what was left of the building, through the dying and wounded, through the tears of broken families, through the piles of house elf bodies. Although he was exhausted nearly beyond coherent thought—and still shaking off the numbing sting of shock—he had to find her.

He had to.

She was all that mattered now.

Glancing around the room, he found the woman he was searching for: a petite blonde, dressed in a ratty jumper and denims. She sat alone, crouching on a bit of stone rubble, her usual faraway look clouded with effort. She seemed focused on something just beyond her reach.

He struggled to settle down next to her on the debris—debris that had, only hours ago, been an imposing stone wall fashioned by some unknown hand. It had crumbled as easily as his dreams of _being hers_ had—once the Carrows came.

Surprisingly, the stone was warm.

He glanced up. The sun had risen? Merlin, how long had he been stumbling around the ruin of everything he once knew, simply trying to find her?

"Luna?"

Gods, his back hurt.

He laid the sword across his lap and took her in. She was disheveled, but unhurt.

She didn't respond.

Neville knew what she was likely doing: replaying the memories she no longer needed to keep herself alive, the observations that had given her an edge, a warning, during the last torturous year. Perhaps she had noticed that Alecto's left hand twitched before he cast a Cruciatus; perhaps she had counted the number of times Amycus paced before flying into a rage and whipping the nearest student bloody. Perhaps—

No matter. With effort, those memories could be purged; they need never rely on them again.

"Luna," he repeated, finding his throat was dry.

She turned. It took her the span of a breath to recognize him.

"Neville."

She smiled then. A dazzling, beatific smile. It had no place among the ruin spread around them.

He let the sword rest at his feet, and Luna moved toward him to place her head in his lap, closing her eyes.

And the witch he had loved for years began to hum as if she were content at last.

o0o0o

Instinctively, they left the Great Hall together and walked slowly toward the lake, perhaps because it appeared to have suffered less destruction than the walls of the school itself. Even though the threat was gone, perhaps they would feel safer there, somehow.

They moved along in companionable silence, still skittish and adjusting to the fresh air of the spring day. When Luna's hand brushed the edge of his, he took it firmly, threading their fingers together and gripping it hard, as if to say _I'm not letting you go._

As they rounded a curve in the path, a charred piece of _something_ appeared at their feet.

Luna bent to pick it up, turning it over in her hands slowly. It was stiff with blackened, irregular edges; it was as big as two of his hands. It was roughly in the shape of a heart.

"What do you think—"

"It's hope," she said, letting a small smile touch her silvery blue-grey eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"It's part of the dome they built to protect us."

"That's impossible. Protective enchantments like shield charms are not physical."

She allowed the smile in her eyes to spread to her lips.

"Neville, don't you see? If you desire something deeply enough, purely enough, hope can make it real."

She stepped closer to him, and placed the heart-shaped remnant in his hands.

If Luna was right—and Neville suspected she was—he was holding the sum of the effort that braced them against the onslaught of an evil they should have never needed to fight.

When conceived, when birthed, this bit of hope had not been feeble or brittle. Instead, it had been strong, gritty, and stubborn. It was identical to the hope that had sustained him during the last school year; the hope that had clung fiercely to his soul in the times when doubt had found a way to claw into his chest.

And it had shown up as a symbol of love.

He took it as a sign to share the things he'd hidden in his heart.

"I wanted to tell you, but there wasn't ever the right time," he began.

"I know," she said in a sing-song voice, her tone lifting his spirit for the first time in, well, longer than he dared recall.

"I wanted to, I don't know, take you to Madam Puddifoot's on Valentine's day, and buy you chocolate frogs, and take you dancing, and buy you flowers, and…"

He sighed.

"But," he said, "I never could." All of the things he had wanted to share with her had become secondary to keeping them both alive. If there was anyone in the world that could understand, it would be her. He was sure of it.

"But you've done so much more than all of that, Neville."

He had. _And she knew it._ He let that sink into his marrow.

He swallowed the last of his fear and placed the blackened shard back in her small hands.

"Will you have me now?"

"I will have you, Neville Longbottom," she pronounced with finality.

It made him giddy.

He glanced upward at the silvery blue sky. And smiled.

o0o0o

Having held her hand, _hope_ felt different now. Almost…unfamiliar. The woman at his side agreed to have him—have _him_ —and it had changed everything.

Hope had become something sweet, something devoid of desperation and fear, something, instead, warmed by love.

It was now the hope of _I hope you love me for the rest of my life_ rather than _I hope I don't die today._ It was _I hope you marry me. I hope our child has your eyes._

The section of dome in Luna's hands began to shimmer, and then it disappeared.

He supposed they no longer needed its type of hope.

o0o0o

"All those things I said—I still want to do them with you. I want to buy you chocolate and flowers and take you to dinner and—"

Eyes reminding him of the colour of the blue expanse of sky above them turned to meet his. He lost himself in them.

"I'd like that."

He reached to brush a curl of blonde off her face, tucking it behind her ear.

And he kissed her, gently setting his lips against hers, and, impossibly, his beautiful witch kissed him back.

It was impossible as seeing the real sky through the ceiling of the Great Hall.

As impossible as discovering a charred fragment of _hope_ lying on a sidewalk, in the shape of a heart, and holding it in your hands.

As impossible as being loved by the woman in his arms.

But, Neville discovered as Luna kissed him more fully, he was _just fine_ with impossible.

* * *

 ** _Please let the author know what you think!_**


	9. Chapter 9: A Prank of Saint Valentine

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 6,163

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

* * *

 **Story Title :** _A Prank of Saint Valentine_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Romance/Comedy/Drama

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** Remus Lupin/Hermione Granger

 **Summary :** AU where Hermione was born in the marauders era something happened to her family when she was younger. Hermione is an orphan when she gets a visit from a mysterious woman. She's a witch. When she attends hogwarts, James, Sirius and Remus adopt her. She becomes an animagus along with the three boys. Remus and Hermione have been skirting around their feelings since they were 13 so James and Sirius take action and plan their usual Marauders Valentine's Day prank but then they plan a side prank to get Remus and Hermione to stop skirting around their feelings **.**

* * *

 **A Prank of Saint Valentine**

* * *

Hermione was in the library, sitting in her spot with her best friend Remus, avoiding all eye contact. They were working hard together on a Transfiguration essay when their friends, Sirius and James, came in.

Hermione was happy to see her two friends so her and Remus were no longer alone. That feeling of absolute happiness vanished, however, when she saw the rat of a boy trailing behind them.

She didn't understand why her boys and Remus were friends with Peter. He was an outright bully and a Slytherin to boot. Well they didn't have a clue about the bullying part of their friend, as Hermione never told them of the times he had pushed her around or the cruel things he said about her family; the scars that left her marred on that fateful night her parents and sweet brother were killed.

 **ooooOoooo**

Remus poked her in the side and said, "you okay!?"

She nodded her head and turned slightly away from him so he couldn't see her face. Remus scowled at the back of Hermione's head and signalled the others, who were in the midst of arguing about how they were going to make this year's Valentine's Day prank bigger and better, to leave the two of them alone for a bit so he could see what was wrong.

At first the boys paused, ready to protest, but Remus flicked his eyes to a tense Hermione, and they quickly made excuses to be elsewhere.

Once the boys had left, Remus tried to get Hermione to turn to face him so he could look into her eyes and make sure she was telling him the truth. However she wouldn't turn, so he got up from his chair and moved until he was directly in front of her, and crouched down so he was looking up at her.

As he looked into her eyes, a tear slid down her face, and he immediately pulled her into his arms in an attempt to comfort her. When she had settled down, he pulled back slightly and queried what was wrong.

"Nothing," she stated but her eyes, filled to the brim with tears, stated that she was lying. He packed their belongings into bags and placed them on his shoulder. He pulled her out of her chair and dragged her to the room of requirement. She tried to protest, but Remus wouldn't listen as he lead the way up. Once they arrived, he let go of her hand and began pacing back and forth in front of the wall opposite the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy teaching ballet to the trolls, asking for a room that would be of comfort to his best friend.

When the door appeared and they entered the room, Remus was shocked to see an exact replica of his room from home. He looked back at Hermione, who was looking down at the ground, and hadn't yet seen the room's transformation.

The room was medium sized, with bookshelves covering two of the walls, a queen sized bed with a maroon and black quilt and a massive amount of pillows. On the wall behind the bed, there was a painting of a werewolf, a chocolate brown wolf, a stag, a black as night shaggy dog, and a rat.

When Hermione still didn't react, Remus pulled her to the bed, as he would if they were in his own home, and forced her to sit down. Once she was settled, he made his way to the opposite end and sat down, making himself comfortable. He rested his arms behind his head and waited, for he knew from all the years of their friendship that if he waited silently enough, she would talk. And he was prepared to talk, even if that meant returning every day until she had.

He was always the one she confided in and he wouldn't have it any other way. As they sat there in a deafening, but comfortable silence, Remus took the time to inspect his friend. He thought of how much she had matured since first year.

Her body was stunning from what he could see in the shape of the fitted clothing she wore this year. Sirius' doing, he gathered, as he was the one who went with her to Madam Malkin's. Sirius had said she had tried to buy the clothes that almost swallowed her whole, but he had put his paw down and made her compromise. Remus certainly appreciated being able to see her form now.

Remus also loved the determined, sweet, bookworm that she had changed into. When he had first met Hermione on the train first year, she was quiet and reserved; a saddened girl who struggled to look anyone in the eye when interacting with them.

He wished things were different and he could tell her exactly how he felt about her, but it was better for her reputation and safety if nothing happened and they remained friends, as they had been for five years.

He suspected she didn't have the same feelings as he did, that she saw him as a brother like James. She would love someone more like Sirius: handsome, confident, smart, powerful and generally a great man.

Try as he might, Remus couldn't get past his feelings for his best friend. His stomach grumbled softly, and he glanced up at the clock, realizing then that they had sat in their silence for hours, and it was almost time for dinner.

He looked over at Hermione, who had finally laid down and fallen asleep. Remus put his hand on her shoulder and jolted her slightly to wake her but she didn't stirl.

He leant over her, slightly touching her body with his and called her name a few times. After around ten attempts of her name, she started to respond to his voice. Remus quickly dove back to 'his side' of the bed and acted like he hadn't been almost straddling her.

 _ **ooooOoooo**_

Hermione took her time waking up and when she had fully woken up she could swear to Merlin that her right side was slightly warmer than it should have been.

She was a bit confused at how she ended up in Remus' bedroom from home. She hasn't left the castle, after all. Then she remembered how Remus had made her go to some room… the room of requirement if she remembered correctly….

She turned her head to the other side of the bed to where Remus was and smiled, thankful for his presence. She always seemed to sleep better when he was close. She couldn't explain why, but it was like a sense of calmness and safety would wash over her when she was with him.

"Hey there, sleepyhead," Remus whispered.

"Hey, what's the time? How long did I sleep? Where are we? Why does it look like your bedroom?" Hermione rushed out and then took a deep breath in and relaxed, however she looked extremely exhausted all over again.

"Well… it's about six-thirty… so dinner time, you were asleep for a good three hours, we are in the room of requirement…" he paused for a second and put a hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture and continued answering her last question "and this room looks like my bedroom because apparently it's the place that brings you the most comfort," he said with an air of smugness about him.

Hermione got really embarrassed and withdrew slightly as Remus finished his explanation of why the room looked the way it did. How could she possibly explain that without him seeing how she felt? He could always read her emotions in her eyes.

Remus, however, was having none of that and pulled her back to him. He didn't mind not knowing exactly why his room comforted her, all he needed to know was that it did, that if she was stressed or upset, his room was the place to go.

Hermione got lost in her thoughts for a minute until her stomach made a low rumbling sound, signalling that she was hungry. Remus chuckled accidentally, pulled back slightly, and said, "time to go to dinner? Face the masses?"

Hermione stood up and straightened out her clothes and nodded. They quickly made their way to dinner. Hermione must have been hungrier than she thought because she basically devoured her dinner and went back for dessert.

All the while looking around making sure no one saw how she had gauged herself, she locked eyes with Remus, who had a small smile gracing his perfect lips, she bent her head down slightly and heat ran into her cheeks.

She quickly dismissed herself, telling her friends that she was exhausted and going to bed from the long day. Remus offered to walk her back to the dormitory, but she refused him, telling him it wasn't necessary. He wouldn't take no for an answer, however, as he wouldn't allow her to walk back alone at this time of night.

She finally relented, and allowed him to accompany her. They took their time walking back, both internally telling themselves that they didn't want to part, but didn't voice it, knowing they would have to separate for the night. When they reached the dormitory, Remus muttered the password "fortitudo". Emerging into the common room, they stood there silent in their own thoughts.

Hermione finally moved her eyes to Remus' and smiled, "thank you for giving up dinner time to walk me back, I really appreciate it". She leant up and laid a small kiss on his cheek and walked up to her Dormitory to go to bed.

 **ooooOoooo**

Remus was too late saying that it was his pleasure. He walked over to the seats by the fire and thought about how easy it was for her to lean up and lay a kiss on his cheek. She had never done that before; he could still feel the heat from her soft, tender lips.

He sat there, trying to figure out why Hermione was so quiet lately, and why she detested little Peter so much, yeah he was Slytherin, but that wasn't a reason to hate the kind boy.

He hoped that she would confide in him soon so he could help. James and Sirius walked in, looked at Remus and shook their heads. Their two friends were idiots, with the way they skirted around with their feelings.

Remus didn't even notice the two, he was too lost in his thoughts and didn't notice the scheming look that his friends had passed between them.

He decided to go to bed, he couldn't keep worrying about things when they hadn't happened yet. He couldn't worry about what had happened that she wouldn't let him in on.

He went up to his bedroom, laid down and made his mind shut down so he could finally get some sleep, his eyes slowly drifted shut.

The next morning he woke up and felt like he hadn't slept a wink. He quickly got up and got dressed and tried to beat Hermione to the common room so he could walk her to breakfast, he didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling that something was going to happen to her today.

As he got down the stairs, Mary, one of Hermione's roommates was walking down from the girls dormitory, he quickly made his way to her.

"Mary?" He said to get her to stop before she left the room.

She turned around, saw him and responded "Hey Rem, what's up?"

"Has Hermione left yet? I want to walk with her today, I can feel something is going to happen" he rushed out.

"She left about thirty minutes ago, saying she wanted to beat the rush so she could eat before everyone else got there." She frowned at him knowing that if he had a feeling something would happen, that it would. She hoped it wasn't anything too wrong.

Remus ran out of the common room, knowing that he had to find her to warn her. He had to convince her to not be stubborn for once and let him protector her for once.

What he didn't see, in his rush to get to her, was that James and Sirius were following closely behind him. They had woke to their friend being gone, and then coming down to the common room hearing the tail end of his conversation with Mary. They knew that if he came across anything happening to Hermione, they would have to stop him.

 **ooooOoooo**

Hermione had left early, as usual, walking with her head in her potions book. She didn't see the Slytherin standing, waiting near Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom.

He pushed her, and started on about the ugliness of the scars and that no one would ever love her because she was damaged goods. He said something about how she wasn't brave; she was a weakling that couldn't save her own family.

She froze, she normally didn't freeze and would get away, but as she heard him say no one would love her, she thought about how her feelings for Remus would go unrequited. How could he love someone who let their family die?

Peter wouldn't stop, he kept pushing her and as he was going to hit her, she heard what sounded like a roar and then he was gone as she fell to the ground in relief. Someone had saved her from further pain.

She looked up to see who had come across the scene and saw Remus, he had a feral look in his eyes and was punching Peter, again and again.

Hermione tried to move, but she was frozen in fear of what would have happened, had Remus not found them. She also knew that she should be stopping Remus. He didn't look like he had control of himself and she was starting to get scared of the glint in his eyes.

Then she heard movement ans she looked in the direction to see James and Sirius, they paused only a moment before pulling Remus off of Peter, however, Remus snarled at them and went back to punching Peter.

Sirius looked at Hermione and saw the fear in her eyes. "Remus! Come on, look at Hermione, she's scared, don't worry about the rat, take care of her mate. You know when she's like this, you're the only one that will be able to go near her."

Remus looked up and locked eyes with Hermione and was instantly off of Peter and over pulling her into his arms.

"It's okay, I'm here. I'm sorry, don't be scared of me. Please don't be scared of me. I couldn't cope." He kept a litany of this over and over.

Hermione was sobbing in his arms now, the shock had set in and she broke. He sat there with her for a while, then asked James and Sirius to tell Dumbledore what had happened and stood up, cradling Hermione in his arm. He headed up to the room of requirement to try and calm her down in the safe haven that was his room.

It took hours for her to relax, then she laid there staring at the wall.

"Was that the first time he had done something like that?" Remus said with an edge to his tone.

Hermione flinched, she didn't have to say anything, that was answer enough, but she went ahead and said it anyway.

"No…"

He growled slightly, "How long!? How long has this been going on?"

"Um… since first year, this is why I've never liked him. He pretends not to mind me in front of you guys, but then I see him when I'm alone and he gets horrible. That was nice compared to what he's like normally," She held back a sob. Finally revealing the secret that she had been hiding from her best friend for years.

"Was this why you were upset the other day? In the library, when Peter came in?" She nodded. "Why didn't you tell me? Or Sirius? Or James!? Or a professor? We could have helped you… please no more secrets from now on." He nuzzled into her hair, the scent of her shampoo rushing through his senses and calming him slightly.

"I'm sorry, I should have told someone. No more secrets from now on," she quite enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms, she wished that it was under different circumstances.

 **ooooOoooo**

Sirius and James had found an abandoned classroom after they had explained to Dumbledore and Mcgonagall what had happened.

"Did you see him? He let the wolf take control for a second there. As soon as he saw Hermione in danger, he lost it. How can they not see how the other feels?" James questioned.

"I know, we have to do something. Maybe we should make them the focus of our usual Valentine's Day prank?" He considered what they could do.

"No! We need to keep the rest of the school's prank in place because if nothing happens at breakfast, they'' grow suspicious. We'll do something separate for them."

James felt like they needed to intervene or Remus and Hermione would never admit their feelings for one another, but they couldn't know they were part of the prank. It they did, they would dismiss each other almost instantly.

"We could have a small prank, like… a potion in the morning juice that makes everyone become overly affectionate and have some cupids going around singing to people all day," James suggested.

"Ooh yes! Then for our two love birds we could have the cupids… however they follow the two of them around everywhere. Every time they come into the same space, the Cupid spell will fall over them and they have to say one thing they love about each other and lay one on each other!" Sirius got really excited then.

They sat down and got to planning out the little details. Valentine's Day was two days away after all.

 **ooooOoooo**

Hermione woke up on Valentines Day knowing that it was another day where she would have to hide her feelings. She knew that Remus loved her, but not in the same sense. He saw her as a sister; a pack mate. At first, Hermione was confused why he kept calling them a pack in their first few years at Hogwarts, it was like he didn't even know that he was saying it.

When they discovered he was a werewolf, all the little quirks, like calling their group a pack, made sense. That's when they all decided to become animagus and Hermione was extremely shocked when she had transformed the first time and her animal form was a wolf.

Remus, unlike Hermione, was confused why her form chose to be the wolf but he had named her Adiliah….. She hadn't known what it meant until she found the meaning in a book of werewolves she read. It was a name for a female moon goer.

She accepted it, took it as a sign that he accepted her completely, and moved on.

Hermione did a quick spell to check the time and quickly started getting ready. She was late for breakfast.

As she descended the stairs, still tying her tie, Remus, James, and Sirius were all waiting for her.

"Seriously!? I don't need an escort everywhere, boys. He's gone. I'm safe. You don't have to wait for me each morning." She was frustrated.

Remus walked up to her and stood directly in front of her, "You will allow us to walk with you, my wolf is on edge around you and your safety at the moment. Allow me this, allow us to do this as a pack." he had a slight dominant tone to his voice and she decided to concede just this once.

"Fine! But don't let this become a thing. I am capable of protecting myself!" She said with a raised brow.

Remus smirked down at her and Hermione could see the wolf coming forward "Okay, witch, we will play your little game. Don't expect to win though. I will protect what is mine".

Hermione took a slight step back. _What was that meant to mean?_ Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sirius and James exchange a knowing glance.

She decided not to say anything and head down to breakfast to get this day over and whatever prank the boys had planned.

As they got down to the Great Hall, the scene was a sight to see: everyone was being overly affectionate, basically sitting in each other's laps and there were little cupids all around singing love songs.

James' and Sirius' prank, she guessed, so no juice for her this morning. They all sat down in their usual spots and two cupids appeared above Hermione and Remus' heads. An unknown force instantly came over them.

Remus turned to Hermione and stated "I love the way you are always there for others, no matter what you are going through". He looked shocked at the words coming out of his mouth.

"I love the fact that you are so kind, loving and protective of those you consider friends." She quickly put a hand over her mouth. She didn't know what had come over her.

James and Sirius were on the other side grinning ear to ear, like kids on Christmas Day. Hermione and Remus blushed and quickly busied themselves with breakfast.

This went on all day, every time they met somewhere, they would profess something else they loved about the other.

By the end of the day, they both wore a permanent blush. Remus and Hermione were sitting together in the library and were trying to figure out what was happening.

They both looked at each other "James and Sirius" they said in unison.

They ran to the common room to find the boys sitting on the sofa near the fire laughing their heads off.

"What is going on with us!?" Remus demanded.

"That would be your feelings showing themselves. If you would admit that you love each other, we could end the prank and you could go back to normal. You both know that the feelings are mutual, everyone else can see it, why can't you two!?" Sirius explained.

Remus looked down, thought about it and then grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the common room and found an alcove close by.

Hermione was the first to speak "Do you really have feelings for me?"

Remus nodded and said "I have since the first day I met you, the way you have always been in my corner, even when you didn't know what my secret was. I admire your courage and determination in the face of all your many problems, I love the way you are always kind even when the person isn't so nice to you."

"Oh… well I've always liked you and had feelings for you as well, Rem. You are always there for me and so protective of me," she tried to look down at her shoes but Remus put a finger under her chin and lifted her eyes so they were looking at each other.

"Hermione, would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me? On a date? This weekend… I mean it's okay if you don't… I understand completely," he rushed out nervously.

"I would love to go with you!" Hermione said.

They sat there quietly for a minute, then Remus suggested they go back to the Common Room and get some sleep before the next day, which was the Hogsmeade visit.

Hermione agreed, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and stood waiting for him. They walked back into the common room holding hands The two of them sat down and discussed where and when they would meet and then went up to their beds.

Both of them took a while to fall asleep, thinking nervously about what was in store for them on tomorrow's date, looking towards what would happen in the future. The two fell asleep with grins on their faces, glad that Sirius and James had intervened.

 **ooooOoooo**

The next morning, Remus was nervously pacing outside the Great Hall. He was meeting Hermione here for their date to Hogsmeade, and she was late.

James and Sirius came by the stressed werewolf and he stopped his incessant pacing.

"Mate, she's coming. She wouldn't stand you up, you guys have been playing this game of cat and mouse for years; she loves you and you love her. That's all you need to know. She would never not come, now stop stressing, James and I will stay here until she gets and then leave you to the _romancing_." Sirius stressed to his mate.

It was another ten minutes before Hermione came down the main staircase She looked breathtaking in her ruby red sweater that melded to her every wondrous curve and the fitted jeans with black, knee length, leather boots. Her hair was tamed into lustrous curls and left to frame her face.

She had a light smattering of makeup on her face and a nice gold eyeshadow with mascara that really brought out her beautiful brown eyes.

Remus didn't even notice that Sirius and James had left them, all he could notice was the amazing girl that was his date for this hogsmeade visit and the dance that was scheduled for the next week.

When Hermione finally reached him, she stood there moving from one foot to the other, as she nervously took her lip into her mouth, Remus tried to speak but he couldn't get the words past his dry mouth and throat.

He slowly realised that he had been staring for a while and that Hermione looked like she was about to bolt. He raised his hand up and tucked a loose curl behind her ear and whispered "you look stunning, I think I will have to get chocolate when we get there, so I can keep myself busy so I don't beat all the boys away, that will surely be looking at nothing but you".

Hermione chuckled nervously and smiled at him and asked if they were going to go to hogsmeade or stand around all day.

Remus apologised and took her hand and lead her out into the castle grounds to head down to the village.

They spoke about small things on the way down and conversed about their mutual friends. It would have been awkward if it was anyone else, but with Remus and Hermione it was an easy conversation to hold.

When they got to the village, the first place they went to was honeydukes, so that Remus could get some more chocolate and he could buy Hermione her favourite candy, Sugar Quills.

They then explored the village and went to the books and stationery store to stock up on more parchment and ink and peruse the books to see if they liked any of the selection.

All the while holding an easy conversation and laughing at each other. It wasn't a normal romantic date that every other witch and wizard preferred, but it was perfect for the two.

At the end of the day, the pair made their way up to the castle and went to dinner and then the Room of Requirement to spend some more time with just the two of them.

They stayed up there for hours, just reading together and joking around about what prank their friends would pull next.

When it was time to go back to the common room, as it was way past curfew, Remus took Hermione into his arms and leaned in slowly to give her a slow but tantalising kiss, before they had to face reality.

As they pulled away from each other, their lips slowly parting, holding onto the feeling, Hermione looked up into Remus' amber eyes and said "I love you, Remus, I wish this night would last forever".

Remus looked down and smiled "I wish it could too, I love you, my lovely mate".

Hermione looked taken aback, Remus didn't realise what had shocked her until she said the next words.

"Um… Did you just call me your mate!? What does this mean!?" She said hysterically, it came out as more yelling than spoken.

"I don't know… it just came out like that… we need to go and see Dumbledore and see what this means…. Hermione, please don't let this affect us… I can't take losing you now that I've finally got you… please… please" Remus was rambling and the only way Hermione could get him to shut up was to kiss him quickly.

"Remus, do shut up, let's just take this one step at a time… first step, talk to Dumbledore!" She said quickly and started to pull him out of the room.

By the time they reached the staircases leading to the lower parts of the castle they were running, Sirius and James came out of an abandoned classroom and saw the couple running past them with harried looks on their faces and followed them.

Whatever was wrong with their best mates, they wanted to help.

They got to Dumbledore's office in record time and Hermione shouted the password "chocolate frogs". The stairs took too long for the teenagers liking, and Hermione and Remus still hadn't noticed that they had picked up some followers until they got up the stairs and knocked on the door. When the headmaster called for them to enter and said "what can I do for you four? It isn't Peter again is it? He was spoken to".

Remus looked back at the other two, shocked to see them, he was so into thinking about what he had said would mean for him and Hermione that he hadn't realised they had picked up two followers.

He shrugged and turned back to the headmaster and blurted out what had happened.

"Sir, myself and Hermione were up in the Room of Requirement now, just reading at the end of our date and when we were about to leave" Remus paused and flicked his eyes to a worried Hermione, not sure how to continue, "We said I love you but… I kind of added...MATE at the end and we don't know what this means!? What does it _mean_!? Why did I call her mate!?" Remus finished and leant over fully out of breathe, first from the sprint here, and then the confession.

Dumbledore looked taken aback and gestured to the chairs in front of his desk. He stood up and paced a bit, looked between Hermione and Remus, and paced again repeating this until he decided he'd better explain some things to the children.

"Now this is going to be a lot to take in, so I must ask you wait until the end to speak or ask any questions, understood?" All four nodded so he continued.

"Werewolves are pack animals, to survive they have to make a pack, in order to do this they have to have members of the pack. Now for Remus that pack was James, Sirius, Hermione and Peter." The four teens nodded in understanding.

"When Peter betrayed the pack by hurting a member he was ostracised, now the Alpha… which is Remus, has to have a mate in order to survive. It could take years for this to occur, Remus would have no choice in the choosing of this mate, it would be totally up to the wolf." Remus tried to speak up at this point but Albus held his hand in front of him to silence the teen.

"When the wolf picks his mate, no other will compare, he will protect her no matter what, even if it means him dying in the process. The wolf and mate are a very complicated thing, it seems the wolf, however, agrees with Remus that Hermione is a good match." Hermione smiled at Remus shyly, what did he see in her?

"Now I don't know much more about werewolves and their mates, I will have to do further research on this, but what you must understand is the wolf has chosen.

He may well have decided a long time ago or today, but what this means is he is going to be very protective over Hermione and only those he considers his pack will be able to be near her in times of danger, he also entrusts the pack to protect her when he is unable."

James was shocked to say the least, they were a pack, that would explain why Remus didn't attack them during the full moon.

"The most important part of Hermione being the wolf's mate is that even when he is in wolf form, Hermione will be able to approach him, without any danger, no matter if she's human or animal, she will come to no harm at the full moon."

He paused and got up and went to the bookshelves and pulled a thick tome out and nodded.

"I came across this book that covers everything that there is to know about werewolves and the many facets of their being, when I came across a chapter on mates." Remus sat forward in his chair, his interest in getting his hands on that book was now peaked.

"It is believed that a werewolf will not find their mate until they are eighteen, however there are some cases, very rare cases, that a werewolf finds their mate before this age, this is known as a platinum mating." All four of the teens mouths dropped open in shock, a platinum mating? What would this mean for the pair?

"It means that, when the wolf is ready to take their place as alpha, nothing will stand in his way when leading his pack. A young mating like we have here, this bond will be stronger, it will hold more power, no one will be able to break the bond that these two have." Remus thought to himself that Dumbledore had an uncanny ability to answer questions that hadn't been asked.

"There's also one point I have neglected to explain, the pack as a whole, there is the Alpha, which is Remus, there is the Beta which is essentially the Alpha's right hand man, then you have the Zerox, which is the right hand man to the Beta, and the last but one of the most important parts of the pack, is called the Luna. This is the Alpha's mate and she essentially has rule over any decisions."

Hermione was starting to get overwhelmed, all of this information to process, she couldn't process it this quick. Dumbledore seemed to the notice and frowned, then Remus turned to her and grabbed hold of her hand in a gesture of comfort and she seemed to relax.

"The Alpha will not make a decision regarding the pack and it's inner workings, without her say so, the Beta and Zerox do not compare." Dumbledore however, decided to finish up, he knew that all of this information would be a big stress on four teens.

"Now the last thing I will share with you tonight is, that no matter where the wolf's mate is he will be able to sense her, smell her and feel what she is feeling. If she is in danger, he will know and he will find her, to protect her."

He looked around at the four teenagers in front of him and saw a look pass between them, they had experienced this last part with Peter Pettigrew; they didn't understand it at the time, but this was why Remus had found her, he felt her upset and immediately sought her out; to comfort.

Albus dismissed them and watched as Remus held his hand out, assisted Hermione to stand, and put an arm protectively around her body. Little did they know that Sirius and James had fallen into protective positions, it was almost an instinct, like they would if they were wolves as well.

They exited the office and Remus quickly diverted the way Hermione and he were going. When James and Sirius went to follow, he shook his head.

He knew that Hermione and him would need to talk and come to terms with the knowledge that was thrust upon them.

Remus was happy with his wolf for once. He was glad the wolf had picked Hermione so they could live out their lives together and maybe one day have a pack of their own.

Hermione seemed to be taking it better than he thought she would as there were no hysterics, she almost looked content.

He knew that there would be danger and speculation for them in the future, but he was prepared, and he had his two brothers to help protect his mate.

Fin.

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 ** _Please let the author know what you think!_**


	10. Chapter 10: Seeking a Date

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 5,051

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

* * *

 **Story Title :** _Seeking a Date_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Romance/Comedy

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger

 **Summary :** The upcoming Quidditch match between Slytherin and Gryffindor falls on Valentine's day this year. Draco proposes a bet on the outcome of the match with Hermione, but come Valentine's day does she still want to win?

* * *

 **Seeking a Date**

* * *

"You will never beat Harry to the snitch," Hermione states confidently crossing her arms a smug look on her face.

"Is that so? Just how confident are you," Draco replies undaunted.

"A hundred percent. There's no way you'll win," she states without a trace of doubt. The Gryffindor's gathered around her laugh.

"Then you've got nothing to lose if you make a bet with me," he smirks.

"It wouldn't be fair. You've never even got close before," she teases.

"I've been close. If you're that confident ask for anything," he grins.

"Fine if Harry beats you, as he will, you have to quit the team, give your broom to the Gryffindor team and admit Harry is better than you," she says smugly believing he'd never go for it. He flinched when she said the last part. Quitting the team? He'd miss one match. Handing over his broom would hurt but he could get another, he had enough gold. But admitting Harry was better? That was a blow to his pride he'd never recover from. That's if he doesn't choke on the words first.

The Slytherin's are muttering amongst themselves at the possibility of losing their captain during his last match in his last year. Draco is undeterred.

"Alright Granger you drive a hard bargain but so do I. _When_ I catch the snitch you have to kiss me then and there in front of everyone. After the match you let me take you on a date. The match is Valentine's day after all," he grins as silence greets his pronouncement.

"No Hermione don't do it, it's not worth it," Harry says suddenly.

"Doesn't matter if you beat me does it Potter? Or don't you think you can beat me?" Draco challenges him grinning. Gryffindor's never back out of a challenge.

"Of course we're going to win," Harry rolls his eyes.

"You don't even want to date her," Ron sneers. "You just want to embarrass us."

"What makes you think I wouldn't want to date Hermione?" Draco asks as Hermione blushes.

"Well you've never exactly been nice to her," Blaise reminds him.

"Hey you're meant to be on my side," Draco glares at him.

"I'm a neutral party," Blaise shrugs.

"What you gonna do? Run off to Switzerland again?" Draco scoffs.

"It was Italy," Blaise grins. "It was a lovely year. You should have come with me."

"Does it really matter if you are so certain you can beat me to the snitch? Not win the match. This is about the golden snitch. You verses me Potter. Granger thinks you can do it. But even if you lose surely an evening with me and one little kiss isn't the end of the world?" He says looking directly at Hermione.

"I suppose it wouldn't be the end of the world," she says looking him up and down pouting a little.

"Excellent. So we have a bet then?" He grins at her.

"Yeah. The Gryffindor team could use a spare broom. Either that or some firewood for the common room. Who's to be our binder?"

"How about Blaise? He seems to think of himself as a 'neutral party' I don't think anyone else here could do it?"

"Yeah I'm good with Blaise," she shrugs not seeing any other options.

"A Slytherin Hermione?" Harry asks her.

"Blaise isn't that bad," she rolls her eyes.

"Thanks. I think," Blaise frowns.

"Not the brightest among us but not an idiot either. He'll do," Draco laughs.

"What hex will you use?" She asks.

"I usually go for a stinger," Blaise shrugs. "Is that alright?"

"It'll do. It's not something I need to worry about anyway," she smirks.

"Eager for our date?" Draco asks as they join hands. She laughs.

"Just sure you have no chance. By the way which would hurt more? The Gryffindor team using your broom to win the cup or roasting it?" She asks watching him.

"I thought you were joking about the firewood comment?" He gasps paling a little.

Blaise says the words over their joined hands before backing away. Draco pulls her close with the grip on her hand.

"We have a week. By Saturday, when Potter and me both dive for the snitch you'll have at least a moment where you want me to win," he whispers in her ear.

"You are so full of yourself," she laughs pushing him away.

The bell calls them all to class.

Harry slings an arm across her shoulders.

"Don't worry. He hasn't beaten me yet, he won't beat me now," he tells her confidently.

"Of course you'll win," she smiles back before glancing back over her shoulder at Malfoy, the first slither of doubt creeping in.

At Dinner the first gift appears. A single rose still in bud.

She attempts to vanish it.

Nothing happens.

She tries to burn it to ash.

Nothing happens.

She sends severing charms at it.

Nothing happens.

She throws it across the hall.

It reappears beside her plate.

Frustrated she picks up the rose and storms over to the Slytherin table throwing the rose down beside him.

"Ah I see you got my gift," he grins at her.

"Yes and apparently I can't get rid of it either," She huffs.

"Are you admitting I produced excellent magic?" He asks as others begin to watch.

"It's fairly advanced yes," she admits. "How do I get rid of it?"

"That's not very nice. It was a gift," he acts shocked. "If you really didn't want it, it would be gone." He shrugs.

"What do you mean?" She frowns confused.

"The rose will bloom as you fall for me. If the rose vanishes it's because you've completely decided against me," Draco says as they both stare at the rose waiting for it to vanish. After a full minute he looks up at her, grinning. She stamps her feet and huffs before turning around to go back to her table. He grabs her arm whirling her back around.

"Here," he says handing her back the rose. "It will follow you anyway." He winks before sitting back down. She stares at the rose in her hand her beating fast as the petals move almost imperceptibly outwards.

When she reaches her table she shoves it roughly into her bag as she tries hard not to think of the implications of the rose's continued existence.

Saturday afternoon the boys have Quidditch practice. She goes to watch, more interested than usual, she watches Harry fly. The Slytherin team follow the Gryffindor team.

She stays.

Draco smirks as he sees her in the stands. The third time he catches the snitch pulling out of a truly spectacular dive golden ball clutched in his raised fist, she leaves. Refusing to watch anymore of his grandstanding.

Nerves flutter in her belly. Definitely nerves. Maybe it won't be as easy for Harry to win as she thought it would be.

She remembers the sight of Malfoy on his broom. Speeding through the air wind tousling his hair.

Her belly flutters again. Nerves getting to her she thinks.

Unbeknown to her, the rose opens fractionally more.

After dinner, Hermione makes her way to the library to study a little and escape from the common room. She's had enough of hearing about Quidditch and Malfoy and that stupid, stupid bet.

Hermione sets up at her usual table. With her NEWTs coming up in just four months time she studies every moment she can. She's been studying for about an hour when the chair beside her is pulled out. She looks up to see Malfoy setting up his Arthimancy project and sliding into the seat beside her. He nods at her by way of a greeting before turning to his work.

She watches him study out of the corner of her eye.

He's clearly frustrated over his project. She resists the temptation twice to offer to help him. He hasn't spoken a word to her when he storms off to find another book.

Hermione slides his work towards her taking a look. She writes down the answer on a piece of parchment leaving it on top of his work before sliding it back where it was before.

She's back working on her rune translation when he returns. She watches out of the corner of her eye as he squints at the parchment before sitting heavily in his chair.

"That's not exactly helpful Granger," Draco sighs pushing the piece of parchment back at her.

"It's the right answer," she says confused.

"But if I don't know how you got it, it doesn't help me does it?"

"I could show you if you like?" She asks tentatively.

"Please. I just can't work out what I'm missing," Draco slides his chair closer to her.

She reaches into her bag pulling out their Arthimancy textbook.

"This theorem here," She says pointing to one tucked in the back. "It's useful for bridging gaps like this." She shows him a few different number runs and how they can be manipulated using two theorems together.

"We haven't even got to this one yet," he groans.

"You're absolutely brilliant," Draco grins at her before pulling his work towards him. He doesn't move back where he was before choosing to stay sat close to her.

Hermione blushes slightly at the compliment before turning back to her work. She tries to ignore how good he smells as she continues with her own work.

When she moves onto potions he keeps watch. When she lists a 'fresh' ingredient in with the dry ingredients he speaks up.

"You'd be better off with dried instead of fresh," he tells her.

"Oh really? How come?" She asks sceptically.

"When you grind it in the pestle it will release a small amount of fluid and that will change the whole composition. Yes dried is a little less potent but with an unstable potion adding even a millilitre extra liquid can destroy your results," he shrugs.

Hermione reads down her list of ingredients again mentally weighing the wet and dry. She glances to see if he's watching as she crosses out fresh amending it to dried.

The quirk of his lips is the only signal he gives that he notices her change it.

They study quietly together. Each makes little suggestions on the others work. A couple of hours later Hermione knows she needs to get back to the common room before the boys come looking for her. She packs her bag in silence as he continues working.

Hermione hesitates before she leaves.

"Tomorrow after lunch I was going to work on defence against the dark arts and transfiguration," she keeps her back to him not sure if she wants to know his reaction.

"Hmm yeah I could do with working on those too," Draco replies. She can practically hear the smirk in his voice.

"It doesn't mean anything," she says still not looking at him.

"Of course not," he replies smugly.

She secures her bag more firmly on her shoulder before leaving the library. She doesn't need to look at the rose to know it's changed just a little more.

Hermione spends the morning with her friends in nervous anticipation. She hasn't told them she practically invited Malfoy to study with her. She doesn't tell them about yesterday's study session either.

When she arrives at the library she's a little disappointed to find her table empty. She drops her bag, sets up her books before taking a seat. It's only ten minutes until Draco's sliding in next to her, his hair slightly wet.

"I didn't see you at lunch," she says surprising him.

"Extra Quidditch practice. We've got a big game next week," he smirks.

"Oh," she says expecting more teasing than that.

"We don't have to talk about Quidditch," Draco says pushing his hair back. She looks at him surprised. "We can discuss my amazing Quidditch skills all you like on our date once I beat Potter. There is that better? More what you expected me to say." He attempts to sneers making her laugh. She puts her hand over her mouth to suppress the sound.

"I need to get this project done today as well as the rest of my homework as we have extra practices this week. Like we always do in the run up to a match against Gryffindor," he tells her seriously. "The rest of the team are giving me a hard time." He sighs.

"How come?"

"The bet. The possibility of me not being there after this game has them all on edge. I am the captain after all and we don't have a replacement seeker. Worth it though," he shrugs deliberately not looking at her.

They study side by side for hours. She watches as his dries naturally, giving it a slight curl behind his ears and at the base of his neck.

Neither mentions Quidditch again. They occasionally break the silence to help each other with a problem. Studying with him isn't awful as she expected it to be. Draco isn't as awful as she expected him to be.

When there is only an hour left until dinner he gets up and stretches.

"I'll head off now, drop my books off and such. I know you don't want to risk being seen with me. I won't push my luck," Draco winks as she gaps at him. A heavy weight lands in her stomach as she realises he's right. She doesn't want to be seen with him. She's not sure why she feels bad about that.

"It's okay. You've tolerated my presence for two days now and I expected to get told to sod off when I sat down yesterday. Today was an unexpected bonus. Two days of studying with you and I'm ahead of my homework. Can I ask you just one thing? Please?" He asks securing his bag on his shoulder, thrusting his hands into his pockets.

"You can ask," Hermione stiffens.

"Just don't make plans for Saturday with some other wizard. I know you don't think I'll win but just in case... please don't," Draco pleads.

"Of course I have plans. There will be a celebration party in the common room when Gryffindor win the match," she smirks.

"You know what I mean. Just don't agree to date anyone. Please?"

Hermione looks up at him as he stares down at her, waiting for an answer.

She nods. He smiles at her. She thinks it might be the first genuine smile she's ever seen from him. It's slightly crooked and completely adorable. Hermione can't help but smile back before reminding her face she shouldn't.

Draco disappears without another word said.

On retuning to the common room, Harry starts giving her weird looks. As they're walking down to dinner he pulls her a little away from the rest the group.

"So I was looking at the map today..."

"Harry.."

"No let me finish. I saw something on the map today..."

"I know what you saw. We were just studying together. It doesn't mean anything," she shrugs.

"Studying together? Is this something new? Do you... like him?"

"Yes we studied together. Yes it's something new and of course not don't be ridiculous," she says faintly blushing. Harry doesn't miss it.

He grabs her arm stopping her spinning her around to look at him.

"Do you actually want me to win?" He asks.

"Of course I do," she answers instantly.

"Just it wouldn't be the worse thing in the world if I didn't?" Harry says a little too perceptive.

Hermione shrugs and looks away not able to deny it under her best friend's piercing stare.

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone," Harry winks at her.

"There's nothing to tell," Hermione hisses.

Harry just smirks at her before they catch up with the rest of the group.

Dinner that night brings another gift. A small box wrapped in green and red ribbon sits by her usual spot. She looks up for him but he isn't watching. The box isn't labelled with her name but everyone knows it's for her based on the wrappings and that a first year saw Malfoy put it there.

She takes a deep breath before pulling the ribbons off and opening the box. On a velvet cushion sits a tiny gold ball with a silver chain. The ball has a familiar looking pattern engraved on it. She touches it with the tip of her finger causing two white, feathered wings to emerge and begin to flutter. The ball rises slightly off the pillow as the wings beat.

"What did that git get you this time?" Ron laughs snapping her out of staring at the tiny snitch.

Hermione tries to put the lid back on quickly but Harry snatches the box from her fingers.

Harry pulls the necklace carefully from the box holding it up so everyone can see. It's back to a plain gold ball. He touches it nothing happens. He holds it out to her.

"Touch it," he demands. She sighs but complies.

As the wings spread out people ooh and ahh around them. Harry lifts his eyebrows as she snatches it and the box back from him. She carefully folds it back into the box.

"Not putting it on?" Harry asks innocently. "It's a very pretty gift."

She looks up at Harry and hesitates a little. She glances over at Malfoy. He's watching. Of course he's watching.

She pauses in the act of putting it in her bag. Both Harry and Malfoy are giving her the same challenging look. Daring her to do it. Convinced she won't.

She does like it and it is pretty. She drops her bag back to the floor, box still in her hand. She slips the necklace on, fastening it around her neck. The box now does get dumped into her bag.

She starts serving herself dinner to silence around her. Even Ron has stopped eating, staring at her in shock.

The Gryffindor table has never been this quiet.

"Well it is pretty," she smirks at Harry. She glances over Harry's shoulder to look at Malfoy.

He's staring dumbfounded she tucks the snitch inside her shirt as she makes eye contact with him. He gives her a flash of his true smile before he goes back to talking with Blaise who was also watching as she put the necklace on.

Harry glances at her neck regularly throughout dinner.

After dinner she changes into sweat pants and Harry's old Quidditch shirt she stole during their time in the tent.

The shirt makes him smile when she re-joins them in the common room. The glint of silver at her neck dims Harry's smile.

"I thought you'd take it off once we stopped teasing you about it," Harry says as he slides it out of her shirt glaring at it.

"Why does it bother you so much?" She asks tucking it back in.

"I heard what Malfoy told you. About that when we both go for the snitch. That for a moment you'll want him to win," Harry says darkly.

"I think he meant for you to hear that," she deflects.

For the rest of the night no one mentions Malfoy or Quidditch, much to Hermione's relief.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are all fairly quiet. She wears the necklace everyday. Harry glares at it everyday but doesn't say anything. She only sees Malfoy at meal times. He eats quickly and leaves or shows up late with only a little time to eat. A fight on Tuesday lunchtime now means neither Slytherin or Gryffindor get the pitch to themselves. Any team can go practice at anytime.

Harry is as absent as Malfoy. Except late at night in the common room trying to get his homework finished. The same homework Malfoy completed at the weekend.

Thursday Harry is so exhausted that Hermione orders him to bed straight after dinner. When he tries to argue Hermione reminds him that his robes are on backwards and his broom is upside down. He goes to bed and sleeps right through until breakfast.

Friday the tension in the school begins to racket up.

Gryffindor versus Slytherin is always a tense match. The added factor of the bet has everyone in the school talking.

Most people have spent their evenings watching practice and comment on the difference in style between the two captains.

Apparently it's too close to call.

A lot of people seem to think Malfoy might have the edge though. They seem to think the idea of him winning to get a date with her is romantic.

No one knows she's still wearing the necklace. Or they don't until Blaise catches sight of the silver at the base of her neck and pulls it out.

"Have you worn this everyday since Sunday?" He asks loudly holding the golden ball. She pulls it away from him tucking it in blushing.

"It gets on Harry's nerves," she shrugs as Harry glares at her. "Thought it might remind him not to get complacent."

Malfoy was watching as Blaise pulled out the necklace. His eyes lit up when he saw she was wearing it.

"Then why hide it away?" Blaise asks.

"To stop that one getting excited over it," she gestures towards Malfoy.

"If you don't like it I can always take it back," Malfoy suggests.

She flinches trying to quickly think up an excuse to keep it.

Blaise and Malfoy both smirk at her, Harry is watching her carefully as is Ron.

As usual a crowd has gathered around them.

"Oh leave the poor girl alone," a voice says pushing out of the crowd. Her saviour grabs her by the shoulders and steers her away from all the boys.

"Draco you gave that necklace as a gift. What happens to it now has nothing to do with you. She might be wearing it because it reminds her of Krum for all you lot know. So back off with your egos. Come on Hermione we need to get to Arthimancy," Daphne Greengrass says dragging her away from all the boys.

"Thank you," Hermione says to her surprising saviour.

"No problem. It looked like you could use a hand back there. That was a lot of testosterone," she laughs. "How is the rose doing? Still exist?"

Hermione hesitates before pulling her down a side corridor.

She pulls out a half bloomed rose handing it to Daphne, blushing.

"Any ideas on how I stop it?" Hermione asks desperately.

She hasn't shown anyone in Gryffindor the rose. The only people who know were those close enough to hear. Daphne was one of them.

Daphne stares at the rose in her hand shocked. She hadn't expected the other girl to share.

"Oh you are in so much trouble," Daphne giggles as Hermione snatches it back shoving it in her bag. "At this point Draco is still just hoping it exist. I won't tell him. Promise. It's too much fun watching him sweat over it," she winks at Hermione making her laugh.

The two girls make it to Arthimancy still giggling. Draco and Blaise watch as they take seats together and sit whispering throughout most of the class. Draco snaps his first quill in frustration after the girls turn to look at him before looking at each other and giggling.

The second breaks after the professor checks on their work finding it up to date and excellent, just asks them to try to be a little quieter.

Draco tries to follow close behind them in the corridor after lesson as they walk down to lunch.

"I'll come and sit with you tomorrow for some moral support if you like?" Daphne offers.

"Oh would you? Yes please," Hermione responds.

He watches as the two girls hug before going their separate ways in the Great Hall.

He sits next to Daphne quickly.

"You and Granger seem friendly," he starts.

"That's because we're friends," she replies.

"Since when?"

"Today. But we've bonded very quickly. She needs a friend right now poor girl," Daphne sighs.

"What did you talk about?" Draco persists.

"I'm not telling you," she smirks.

"Just... please, is she... is she melting towards me, even just a little?" He asks desperately in a low voice so no one else will hear.

She turns to look at him.

"The rose still exists," she shrugs. "I'm not saying anything else."

"You've seen it?" He asks smiling when she nods.

Hermione is watching carefully. She grins when Daphne winks at her. Everything is going according to plan.

Dinner comes and goes. No gifts, no boys, they're all on the pitch. This time tomorrow it will all be over.

Saturday morning dawns bright but slightly cloudy. It's perfect Quidditch conditions she thinks as she looks out the window. By the end of today it will all be over.

She heads down to breakfast alone. Daphne is waiting for her in the entrance hall surrounded by Valentine's couples. She sneers at a particularly enthusiastic greeting before she spots Hermione.

"If you and Draco turn into one of those couples I will Avada you," Daphne promises making Hermione laugh.

"What makes you think we'll be a couple?" Hermione asks. Daphne eyes the snitch that for once is outside her shirt.

"He won't give up now he has your attention. But that's okay because you don't want him to, do you?" Daphne teases.

"I admit he's attractive once and you just won't let it go," Hermione sighs as they sit down at the Gryffindor table.

"Defecting?" Ron asks as he sits down opposite the girls.

"Just for today," Daphne shrugs. "I'm still supporting Slytherin in the match."

Harry glares at Hermione's necklace.

"Still wearing that thing?"

"Yep," she says simply. "Good luck today Harry. You know I'm always cheering for you."

He give her a sceptical look before eating his breakfast. Hermione tries to avoid looking at Malfoy but her eyes keep drawing themselves to him. He looks confident, happy but also as if the slightest thing will make him vomit with nerves. She wonders if the happy confidence is an act.

Hermione times her exit to leave as he does. They reach the doors at the same time.

He sees the snitch at the hollow of her neck.

"By the end of the day you'll either have my pride or my kiss," he reminds her.

"I know," she says looking up at him, butterflies in her stomach, heart beating fast. She's not as good at convincing herself it's nerves. Not when he's standing so close. He touches the golden ball making it come to life. She feels the wings beat against her skin. He looks in her eyes, his now alight.

"I'll give you another one soon," Draco smirks before swaggering out of the Hall. Daphne grabs her arm moving her towards the stands. Hermione's glad the Gryffindor team left early and missed that display.

The two girls sit at the front of the Gryffindor stand as fourteen players shoot off into the air.

Daphne clasps their hands together. Hermione grips it tight. She doesn't follow the chasers, the keepers, beaters or the score. Hermione's eyes stay fixed on the two boys flying close to each other.

She can see words exchanged between them. The wind carries them away but she knows.

Draco moves first. Head whipping around as he sees a glint out of the corner of his eye. Harry is half a second behind him. They swoop and dive in pursuit of the small golden ball streaking through the sky. A sharp turn gives Harry an advantage that brings them neck and neck.

Hermione is on her feet.

Her heart stops as they both reach for the ball.

This is it.

The moment of truth.

She has no breath for the name that forms on her lips.

It come out a whisper only Daphne hears.

"Draco."

Before she can comprehend her own hopes it's over.

He lifts his hand golden ball held tight.

He did it. He won.

Draco Malfoy caught the snitch.

A brief silence fills the stadium before roars emerge from Slytherin.

Everyone turns to look at Hermione as Draco speeds towards her. They all back away giving him space to land beside her.

He looks elated as the ball continues to beat in his hand. A glance out of the corner of her eye shows Harry hovering.

She fixes her eyes on the wizard in front of her. He stops close.

"I won," he says simply.

"I know. Looks like we have a date tonight," she shrugs. "Guess it's not the worse thing in the world."

"Something else first though," he reminds her.

"That's right. I have to kiss you don't I?" She says carefully.

He nods leaning forward before tilting his head away offering her his cheek.

She hadn't expected this.

She hesitates.

She's... disappointed.

Decision made she moves forward pressing her lips to his cheek. As he starts to move away his head turns to look at her she pushes forward again pressing their lips together.

He stiffens in surprise before he wraps his arms around her pulling her in tighter. After a few moments she pulls away from their kiss.

He lets her go.

She's breathing hard when she takes a step back. Silence surrounds them.

She'd fulfilled the terms of the bet with the kiss on the cheek. The second wasn't required.

She knows it.

He knows it.

Everyone watching knows it.

Hermione Granger kissed Draco Malfoy because she wanted to.

He's smiling. His real smile.

"For you," he says holding out the snitch. "Told you I'd get it for you." He winks making her laugh as she takes it.

She turns to look at Harry.

He just shrugs not surprised.

Malfoy remounts his broom holding a hand out to her. She climbs on in front of him.

He grips her tight before flying them away. Determined to never let her go.

If either of them thinks to look at it, the rose has fully bloomed.

* * *

 ** _Please let the author know what you think!_**


	11. Chapter 11: The Stone's Victim

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 1,047

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

* * *

 **Story Title :** _The Stone's Victim_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Romance/Angst

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** Fred Weasley/Angelina Johnson

 **Summary :** Who knew the resurrection stone could have such a hold on someone? Something so small causing such damage.

* * *

 **The Stone's Victim**

* * *

It was calling to her. The little stone. The same as it called to her the day she found it months ago on the floor of the Forbidden Forest while helping Hagrid check on the unicorn herd. The same as it called to her every day since.

That first time she'd picked it up when she first found it, she'd turned it over in her hands as she looked it over for any marks. Seconds later, she heard a whispered " _Angie..."_ , causing her to look around as she dropped the stone in her pocket. When she didn't see anything or anyone, she shook her head. She convinced herself it was her mind playing tricks on her. After all, she couldn't have just heard Fred's voice. He had died a month before in the Battle of Hogwarts. Time passed after that. The stone would call to her but for the most part she was able to ignore it. Occasionally, she would give in briefly and hear her name whispered before something would happen to call her away. She'd put the stone away and leave to take care of whatever had come up. But it seemed the call of the stone had gotten stronger when it neared her birthday. It was growing harder for her to resist it but yet, she never told anyone. After all, who would believe a stone was calling to her.

Then it was on her birthday exactly that things had started to fall. She had blocked off her floo and put up anti-apparition spells on her home for the day. Even though it was her birthday, she wanted to be left her alone. It was her first birthday since before she had started Hogwarts that she wouldn't have Fred around. The realization of that fact had hit her hard and had started her grief anew, hence her desire to be left alone.

Angelina walked over to her vanity where the box holding the stone sat. She opened the box as she sat down in front of the mirror. She took the stone in hand and unconsciously turned it. "Oh Fred," She sighed. "Today's not the same without you. I miss you." She murmured as she looked down at the stone.

"I miss you too Angie." Fred's voice whispered in her ear.

She looked up into the mirror with a gasp. "Fred?" She blinked a couple of times to make sure she was seeing what she was seeing. For there in the mirror was what seemed to be a transparent almost ghostly figure of Fred Weasley.

"Yeah. It's me." He gave a half-smile. "How've you been?"

"Could be better." She chanced a turn and smiled when he didn't disappear just because she was no longer looking in the mirror.

Slowly, Angelina was at home more often after that. It took only one time for her to figure that without the stone in hand, she wouldn't see him. It went from conversations with him before she went to bed at night to adding time before she left for work. It wasn't long before she was at either at home or at work and anyone else who wanted to talk to her had to catch her at work. By the time January rolled around, she had started working from home just so she wouldn't have to go out. Which then meant that there were small windows where she could be reached at all. But that changed half-way through the month where she quit work so she could have the shadow of Fred around her to talk to and see all the time. By that point, she had also been forgoing eating and drinking regularly.

It all came to a head the week leading up to Valentine's. Yet another holiday of romance and even though she was using the stone all the time to have Fred around, it wasn't quite the same. She missed him way too much. She gave away all her belongings and ended her lease after releasing her wards. Two days before Valentine's day, with the stone in hand, a now severely malnourished Angelina Johnson made her way to the cemetery where Fred was buried.

Once she got there, she settled down on the ground, sitting with her back against his tombstone. She continued on as she had been, talking to the 'shadow' of him that the stone gave her. A voice in the back of her mind told her that if Fred was alive, he wouldn't have just let her spend so much time wasting away and that he certainly wouldn't have wanted her to do so once he was gone. It tried to explain that the 'shadow' wasn't really Fred. But Angelina was too caught up at this point in the stone's spell and ignored the voice of reason.

And so she sat there for the next two days, speaking with the 'shadow' of Fred. All along, she was unaware of the panic for her well-being and amongst her friends that had begun when it was discovered she'd given up her place and the owls would bring back any letters they attempted to send her. Angelina was blissfully unaware of anything going on outside of what she was doing and the gradual change in her breathing.

At noon on Valentine's day, she knew it wouldn't be much longer. She looked at Fred with a soft smile. "Happy Valentine's day, Fred."

"Happy Valentine's day, Angelina." he replied.

"I'm going to rest now. I'll see you soon, love." And with that, she closed her eyes and breathed her last as she laid against Fred's tombstone, finally at peace. Her grip on the stone slackened, ending the magic that brought the shadow of Fred to her side.

And that was how she was found that evening by a team of aurors with Harry and Ron at the lead. Harry had been the one to find her first of the group and upon checking for a pulse, sighed with a heavy heart when he found none. He did recognize the stone in her hand before the other aurors saw it. Pocketing it, he gave the orders for the other aurors to take her body while he and Ron went to notify her next of kin and friends.

* * *

 ** _Please let the author know what you think!_**


	12. Chapter 12: Green&Gold RibbonsIntertwine

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 5,965

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

* * *

 **Story Title :** _When the Green and Gold Ribbons Intertwine_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Romance/Drama

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** Hermione Granger/Pansy Parkinson

 **Summary :** When house rivalries are shattered by a mere dream, Hermione starts to question herself and all that she thought was real in the world had seemed to have change, leaving her with one discovery that will make her see more differently than she ever has.

* * *

 **When the Green and Gold Ribbons Intertwine**

* * *

It was a late, rainy afternoon and Pansy Parkinson was sitting in class staring out the big water drenched window being utterly bored with McGonagall's lesson. She never really liked Transfiguration as she thought it to be monotonous. Actually, she didn't really like any classes at all. She would much rather be practicing her spells for beauty. She started tapping her perfectly manicured nails against the wooden desk, blowing out a sigh. Scanning the room for something more entertaining than the old bag's lecture, she spotted from across the way a head full of bushy brown, wild curls. _Granger_!

Pansy had to admit, she always had this weird fascination with Gryffindor's perfect little princess. Maybe it was the way she left her hair: unkempt and free, or the way her eyes were locked focused in the pages of some book. She couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but the desire for her was there. Pansy started daydreaming for the remaining of the class about Hermione. When it was finally over she followed closely behind Hermione in the hall thinking she should talk to her, but they have never been close, not even friends. How would she even start? Before she could even think it through, say yelled

"Hey Granger!" She said surprised at her unwitting words, she couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but the sensuality for her was there, and Pansy worried it to be too evident in her tone.

Hermione, being quite confused as to why Pansy just yelled her name,

"Yes" Hermione asked

Pansy didn't know what she was doing. She immediately changed her mind. She wasn't good at this ' _being nice'_ thing.

"Would it kill you to brush out that mane you call hair? Your frizzy locks were distracting my concentration."

Hermione ignored the Slytherin Queen's snarky little comment and continued walking. It wasn't like Pansy was ever really that nice anyway so why think anything that came out her mouth would be?

Pansy couldn't believe she did that! All she could think of was 'how can I talk to her if I can't even find the words to say? Plus, she thinks of me as the rude Slytherin Queen and i guess deserve that. I was never once nice to her, but i had to try _something.'_

The next day, Pansy was walking in the hall again and saw hermione sitting in the library. Pansy knew she had to act fast, but still wasn't sure what to say. Pansy decided to go in the library and sit down. She couldn't help but stare at Hermione in an unvoiced want this time Granger caught pansy eying her with her maliciousness smile. Pansy, noticing she was being obvious, gave her a smile and blew her a kiss with a wink. After biting her lip and looking down at the table, she got up and started speed walking to the slytherin common room. Hermione sat there for once she didn't have her head in a book this time she was confused and wondering why Pansy blew her a kiss. She didn't understand what happened,Hermione tried not to ponder on it so she tried to go back to her studies but whatever she did she couldn't.

Why did the snake queen herself blow me a kiss?' she thought in a furrowed brow, 'It wasn't even her usual I'm better than you kiss. It was definitely a warm,nice and kind I need to tell you something toons of kiss.

Later that night, Hermione decided to stop pondering and finally go to sleep. But then that night hermione had a dream. A very _real_ dream of kissing Pansy It felt so real and hermione found she rather liked it. She shot up in bed surprised at herself. Did she really just have a dream about pansy _kissing_ her and her _liking_ it? She sat there touching her lips, feeling pansy's touch on them, and for the first time ever she started questioning her sexuality. She _did_ just break up with Ronald Weasley two months ago. Maybe she was upset and didn't know what to think?

Later that day she ran into pansy in the study room . Automatically, Hermione thought about the dream she had last night .This time, it was the other way around. It was _she_ who couldn't stop staring at Pansy. Her taking notes and her cool green eyes,her long,silky,black curls , and the almost perfect angles of her face. She was stunning. Hermione narrowed her eyes as her cheeks heated up. She hoped and prayed to any god who was listening that her attraction to this glowing female would go unnoticed. Particularly because Pansy and her were foes. Hermione was completely zoned out on her rethinking the dream over and over again in her head. Pansy, noticing the attention, walked over to her .Hermione didn't even notice.

"Granger? Hello Earth to Granger!" Pansy kept saying to get hermione out of this weird trance she was in. It wasn't until Pansy called her by her real name that she came to .

"Hermione!"

"Huh What? Oh Hi Pansy. Umm what do you want?" Hermione was quite flushed as she was caught daydreaming about smooching Pansy.

Pansy always did struggle with nice never knew how to not come off as being had to try.

"I um, just wanted to know if you are alright?" she asked, hoping she sounded sincere. "You are kinda in my way standing there all weird," she hummed, "guess that's nothing out of the ordinary for you though, Granger" she cursed herself internally for ending with a tone that was all too familiar and nothing productive.

"I do have a name you know!" Hermione said Angrily

She was getting really tired of the mixed signals

"Yes I know but Granger suits you better!"

"Oh shove off Pansy!" Hermione said as she gave Pansy a little scowl.

"With pleasure" Pansy said as she walked by Hermione and kinda brushed past her .

Hermione couldn't take it anymore. She was so confused and that dream she had made everything ten times worse. She didn't know what to think anymore. So she decided to ask Pansy what is going on.

"Ugh what is your problem?" she asked louder than she intended, "Why did you do what you did in the library? And why have you been _staring_ at me all the time? Why?" Hermione said angrily.

Pansy smirked at Hermione and tells her in a flirty tone,

"You know, Granger, you're kinda cute when you're mad. I'll see you in class right? Who am I kidding of course I will." And gave her a wink.

Pansy walked away feeling upset that she once again was not very kind with her always seemed to come out.

Hermione sat in class that day thinking of a way to talk to Pansy. They never really gotten along, and now all of a sudden things were different. She could feel the tension they had for each other,Pansy was always a little snobby to her, but didn't ever really get to know her either. Hermione decided to talk to Harry maybe he could help her out since he had struggled with this sort of thing a couple years ago when he fell for the Slytherin king himself and they told each other how they felt. It was kind of strange at first, but it turned into something headed straight to the Gryffindor common room hoping Harry was there. She needed to vent her feelings to someone and what has been saw Harry sitting in front of the Fire.

"Hello Harry, Have a good day with Draco yesterday?" Hermione said trying to start a conversation

"Oh Yes I did, we went to hogsmeade and just walked around like we always do. You should come sometime." Harry insisted

"Oh um ya I should do that" Hermione said with a little sadness in her voice

"Is everything alright Mione? You seem a little distraught" Harry said in a concerned tone

"Oh No it's nothing Harry I've been confused about something that have recently been happening"

"Oh no what's wrong" Harry said intrigued on the subject.

"Well you know Pansy Parkinson right?"

"Of course I do she is draco's best friend. Why, is something the matter?"

"No not really" Hermione said with hesitation, "She blew me a kiss the other day. An since then I've been very confused and I'm not sure what to think of it"

"What do you mean she blew you a kiss?"

"A kiss Harry! She blew me a kiss! I was sitting in the library, you know where I am most of the time."

"Ok?" Harry said

"Ok! what do you mean ok? Harry, she just came in I didn't know why she was in there she never pays attention in class. So why would she be in the library? Then she just sat there staring at me like she's been doing lately I caught her eye and she just smiled at me and blew me a kiss I tried to not think anything of it but lately it's all I can think about."

Harry giggled over how worked up Hermione was getting about this kiss that seemed like the end of the world to her

"Why are you laughing? This isn't funny in the slightest!" Hermione said angrily

"Oh no Hermione it isn't funny at all." Still showing a little smile of laughter.

"Harry please take this seriously! I don't know who else to talk to about this."

"Ok Hermione I'm sorry. The big question is why does it bug you so much? It's not like you like Female's right? Plus you two don't even talk to each other.

There was a big pause almost like Hermione didn't know what to say. Should she tell Harry about the dream she had that night? How it felt so real to her or the big part where she liked it? Harry called out Hermione's name to break the silence going on in the room. All that could be heard was the cracking of the embers in the fireplace.

"Mione?"

"Yes?"

"What are you thinking about?" Harry asked her hoping he could get a response back

"Oh Nothing. So what are you going to do over summer break?" Hermione said trying to change the subject that she no longer wanted to talk about.

Harry studied her with pursed lips then said "Well...there is Bill and Fleur's wedding. You didn't forget right?"

Hermione forgot all about the wedding. She was so confused about all this Pansy business that it totally slipped her mind. She was supposed to be Ron's date to his brother's wedding but since the break up, that was no longer the case.

"Oh no. I honestly _did_ forget about the wedding!" Hermione said in a rush "Um, I'll talk to you later Harry!"

Without saying anything else Hermione got up and walked up the stairs to the girls dormitory. She didn't know how to get the words out; even to Harry about Pansy. She sat on her bed rethinking what Harry asked her. Did she like females? Did she like Pansy? She wasn't sure. It's wasn't like there was much going on between break was just in a week anyway. She couldn't believe she forgot about the wedding. Worse of all, Pansy was going to be in the wedding as one of the bridesmaids. It's already going to be difficult for her to relax with Ron there, but now this thing with Pansy too? She paused in her musings. I wonder how she is going to look in a dress? I have never seen her in anything but the school uniforms. Hermione stopped herself and shook her head. This was the second time her mind had trailed to Pansy in ways she didn't understand.

Days went by and not one word was spoken between the two of them; not even a glance! Stubborn in their own ways, the two seemed to be inexplicably avoiding the other: Pansy was upset with herself on how she handled their last conversation, and Hermione was embarrassed about being caught in a break was only two days away, which meant only two weeks until the big day. Everyone that was in the bridal party was going to stay at the burrow for those two weeks. Hermione couldn't help but think about being under one roof with her ex boyfriend and Pansy. She had no clue what she was yet. Later that day she met up with Harry and he asked her if she would like it tag along with him and Draco to hogsmeade one last time before the break. She thought some fresh air would do her some good so she agreed to go.

"Harry I thought Draco was coming also?"

"Oh he is. We're just going to met him there. He said he had to do something first and that he shouldn't be long"

Hermione and Harry kept walking. They decided when they got there to go in The Three Broomsticks and have some butter beers. After all, Hermione needed a drink. After a little bit, Draco showed up walking through the door but he wasn't alone. Who was with him? None other than Pansy Parkinson herself. Hermione choked on a large sip of butterbeer, bringing her to a cough from shock as she turned her wide eyes to Harry. She whispered

"Harry? Did you know Draco was bringing her?" being soft spoken so they didn't hear her.

"Yes I did" Harry looking confused to why it mattered. "Pansy always tags along with us. Didn't I tell you?"

"No! You certainly did not tell me!" she shrieked.

Draco and Pansy order a round of butterbeers before joining Harry and Hermione at their starts talking to Harry about the upcoming wedding and what they should get them as a gift. Pansy chimes in every once in awhile throwing out ideas.

"Maybe a brand-new kitchen set?" Pansy suggested.

Hermione agrees with Pansy. A kitchen set would be a great idea for a wedding present. After all, new houses do need silverware and plates.

"I really do like Pansy's kitchen set idea. I think I would get it in red or maybe blue" Hermione said making up a little ideas.

Hermione was making small talk, but it was working so she went with it.

"I think it would look good in green" Pansy insisted. "That's just me"

"Yeah I guess green would work," Hermione said, "maybe with a silver trim."

"See, Granger, now you know what I'm talking about."

"Oh I don't know. I was thinking more of some candy hearts and a tacky heart shaped gravy boat seeing how it's a Valentine's day wedding," chimed Draco playfully. The other three gave him strange looks before breaking into laughter.

For the first time, Hermione and Pansy were actually having a good conversation. Yes it was about plates, but it was still good except for the part of her still calling her Granger. She took what she could get. Then Pansy asked Hermione a question she wasn't sure how to answer.

"So, Granger, who you taking to this wedding anyway? Didn't you and Weasley split?"

"Pansy! Don't be rude," Draco said giving Hermione an apologetic look.

"Well it's true isn't it! I'm not trying to be rude. I'm only simply asking who is she going with now?"

Hermione was unsure what to say because honestly she didn't know who she was going to go with.

"Well Granger?" Pansy insisted.

Finally Hermione answered, "Honestly, I'm not sure who I am going to go with Pansy. Everyone else already has dates. Even Ron is going with Lavender. So that leaves me out."

"Well, I'm not going with anyone either" Pansy reminded Hermione.

Then Pansy got the most craziest idea.

"Hey Hermione I got a great idea," she said leaning forward the table with a growing smirk on her face, "Since you're not going with anyone, and I'm not going with anyone, why don't we go together? I mean, as friends obviously."

Pansy's words took Hermione by surprise. She wasn't sure how serious Pansy was by her request, and the last thing she wanted was to look foolish.

"Um, I..I don't know Pansy."

Hermione couldn't help but stutter. Did Pansy just call her Hermione? Maybe she wasn't joking. Still, she was very unsure about this whole thing.

"Ok. Think about it, its a Weasley wedding: it would be a wickedly fun idea to go together."

Silence broke over the table. Hermione knew she was staring with wide eyes. She could feel Draco and Harry staring at her, but she wasn't sure how to respond. Everyone knew Pansy liked girls, but she never thought she could potentially be one of them. The silence carried on until Pansy spoke up.

"Ok well I'm going to go get another butterbeer. Draco do you want to come with me?" Nodding at him and giving him the _come with me now_ eyes.

As soon as they left the table Harry asked Hermione what she was going to do. Hermione explained how she didn't know what to do, but she knew she needed a date to the wedding or something to that effect. Harry told her maybe it would be a fun idea to go with Pansy as friends of course. Harry still didn't know Hermione was having all these feelings toward Pansy, as she has yet to tell him. Hermione decided it was time to tell him but not here. She told him that she needed to talk to him alone after all this was done. Harry agreed to meet up with her after. Pansy and Draco came back to the table. Pansy had bought Hermione another butterbeer and put it down in front of her.

"Here I noticed you needed a refill."

"Oh Thank you Pansy. That was really nice of you."

"Don't get use to it" Pansy playfully said, "But honestly, Hermione, I think us going together will be great. Plus, think about how much it would really rile the Weasel up!"

Hermione couldn't help but laugh. She knew she was right, of course. Ron would have quite the reaction. Plus, who else was she going to get in such short notice? And she didn't want to go alone. It could be fun.

"You know what Pansy, why not" Hermione finally agreed.

* * *

Hermione woke to a fresh patch of snow on the ground. She had arrived at the Burrow the night before, and was forced to sleep in a crowded room with Ginny, Pansy, and Lavender. The Wedding was only five days away . She walked down the stairs to the kitchen where Mrs. Wesley was preparing a big breakfast for everyone. Hermione was the only one awake so far and made her a cup of tea. Deciding to keep Mrs. Weasley company, she started up a conversation. They started talking about how happy she was about the wedding, but when Mrs. Weasley made a comment about how odd it was that Fleur had Pansy, a snake, in her wedding Hermione was taken aback. She didn't know what to say, at first, but came to Pansy's defense in an instant unaware that Pansy had gotten up and was standing on the overside of the doorframe, listening to the whole conversation.

"So Mrs. Weasley, are you excited about the wedding? Haven't you been wanting this for two years now?" she said sitting down, tea in hand.

"Oh Dear ..I've been waiting for this wedding it feels like eons ago. I'm so very happy they decided on a outside wedding. I thought for sure they were going to pick some crowded little place. That would have been a disaster. The family is much too large," responded Mrs. Weasley. Pausing, rolling pin in hand, she continued, "The only thing I don't understand is why Pansy Parkinson, a Snake mind you, is in the bridal party."

Hermione nearly choked on her sip of tea from the older witch's words.

"Well, Mrs Weasley, Pansy and Fleur are really good friends. And had been since our fourth year, you see, and Pansy is actually really sweet. I didn't realize that myself until recently because I never gave her a chance to show it!"

Hermione was actually starting to get a little angry that Mrs Weasley of all people would be so judgemental.

Mrs Weasley, you're not giving her enough credit! Plus, who cares if she a snake or not! Draco is a snake and you were very cautious of him dating Harry, but once you got to know him you loved him! Why not give her a chance before you judge her as well!"

Hermione was so upset by the end of her rant that she didn't bother hearing if something else would come out of Mrs Weasley's mouth. She was very aggravated this morning. She got up from the table and started walking up the stairs where she bumped into Pansy. _Oh god did Pansy hear me?_

"Thank you so much Hermione," Pansy began, her voice soft, "I heard what you said and that was very sweet of you. What do you say ...friends?" Pansy pulled Hermione in a hug. Hermione hesitated a little, but not because she didn't want to be her friend, but because they were taking the next step.

"Yes Pansy definitely friends!" Hermione said happily.

Hermione found she was still perplexed about a couple things though. _Did Pansy give her a genuine hug? Did she really thank her and say they were friends?_ She knew Pansy was a nice girl, but it was still a shock from all the years when she wasn't. Maybe this was the starting line to a good thing? Maybe the two of them being friends was going to be a good thing. Hermione had never considered that she liked other women until she became friends with Pansy. Then it hit her, she was supposed to tell Harry the truth about the dream she had that day and about her emotions she had been feeling! She decided to tell him today once he woke up. Well maybe not right away as the burrow wasn't such a private place. There were always ears on you wherever you went. Plus, later today, is the dress rehearsal so she had to fit it in between that, doing her hair, makeup and the wedding itself.

All the girls were running around the burrow trying to get ready. It was complete craziness as Pansy ran about frantically making sure everyone's makeup and hair was perfect since she knew all the best spells for beauty and insisted she help. Hermione made sure everyone were fitted into their dresses. Everything was perfect. Once the two ensured the others were taken care of, they started getting ready themselves. The others had began fleeing from the room as Hermione was starting to slip into her dress. Pansy was on the other side of the folding screen doing the same. After a moment of silent preparations, Hermione groaned.

"Pansy, do you think you could help me with my gown?" she said, struggling with the sleeves.

"Of course! Hang on a sec, I'm almost done!" As she twirled her wand to finish her hair and makeup, giving herself one last quick look over.

Pansy came from the other side of the folding screen to help Hermione in her dress, hair and makeup and Hermione is struck with something in the pit of her stomach as she couldn't refrain from staring. Pansy's dark hair was presently coiffed perfectly into curls that hung to her shoulder, exposing a glittering diamond necklace and matching earrings. Surprisingly enough, she wore a Muggle-style deep purple ballroom gown that hugged her shapely figure perfectly. Hermione was speechless; she looked beautiful. The other girls had already left as Pansy zipped up her dress. At her touch, she felt tingles soar throughout her body. Pansy, feeling the tension, leaned in from behind her and kissed Hermione's cheek, making her blush from ear to ear.

"You look amazing Hermione. You just need one more thing," and with a flick of her wand, Hermione's hair and makeup were done perfectly.

"Ok we are ready to go," Pansy grabbed Hermione's hand oh so softly and they both walked down the stairs. Hermione felt so happy in this moment. For once, everything felt right as they were all heading to dinner. Then Hermione thought this would be a good time to pull Harry aside and tell him what's been going on. She walked down the stairs, still hand in hand with Pansy. She saw Harry and went to go speak to him.

"Hey, Harry, do you have a minute?" She whispered.

"Yeah, I do. What's going on Hermione?" Looking around to see why Hermione was so quiet

"I wanted to talk to you about Pansy." She tapped Harry and told him to follow her. Once alone, she began to spill her thoughts to her best friend.

"Oh no not again. I thought you guys were good now? You still aren't on that whole 'blowing a kiss' thing right? Because.."

Hermione interrupted him,

"Harry! Just listen! It wasn't just a kiss ok? I think it changes everything!"

Harry looked so confused about what was going to come out next.

"So about that kiss... that day, yes, she did blow me a kiss. I will say I overreacted, at first, but I had every right to be! I was confused but then we started giving each other random looks all the time. So I wasn't sure what that meant, but then I found myself staring off at her too and.."

"Woah Woah Woah! What do you mean random looks and staring off at her?" Harry was so intrigued. He could hardly contain the glow on his face.

"Well if you let me finish Harry!"

"Ok go on!" Harry insisted with a smile.

"So, like I said, I found myself staring off at her and I just didn't understand why. But after awhile of getting to know her I realized something. She is sweet, and nice, and caring… She is a really great listener and you know how much I like to talk. But we have been flirting, and at first I didn't know what to think of it, but now I actually _enjoy_ flirting back with her and the smiles we giving each other. Oh, and Harry, it happened again! But this time it was on my cheek! Harry what do I do? I think I really like her!"

There was a brief pause.

"Harry, How did you know?"

"How did I know what, Hermione?"

"You know, how did you know you liked…Draco?"

"Well, Hermione, I kinda just knew, you know? It was like this warm safe loving feeling. Was I scared to act on it? Yes, I was, but Draco helped me a lot. He makes me smile like no one else ever has. When I'm with him, everything felt safe. Does Pansy make you feel that way?"

"Oh, Harry, she does make me feel safe and warm inside! I can't help but smile when she is around. She makes me feel like I'm the most beautiful girl in the world without even trying! I can't explain the feeling of having her by my side!"

"Hermione, you did explain it. You clearly said you can't help but smile when she is around.. that's you loving her. She makes you feel safe, and warm inside. That's you trusting her with your heart and to keep it safe! I don't think you need to tell me that you have feelings for her. I think you need to tell Pansy."

Harry smiled, then left his friend to ponder over his words. The guests were all gathering for the rehearsal dinner, and Harry joined Draco at the table. Hermione, still in slight disbelief at her newfound confession, walked in silence to her seat as Harry began tapping his champagne glass for a toast. She snuck a glance at Pansy, then gave Harry her full attention.

"I would like to say a few words before we get started, if I could?" Harry began, glass raised in a toast, "Bill and Fleur, we honor you tonight as you plan to take your journey together moving forward. Valentine's Day is a day where love is evident in the air, uniting even the unlikely of hearts, bringing all love to the surface, and what better day to celebrate your next chapter together…"

As Harry continued his speech, Hermione felt her eyes drift to Pansy once more. This time, their eyes collided in an intimate stare. Pansy smirked at her with a wink and Hermione felt heat rise in her cheeks.

"Congratulations to the many years to come, Bill and Fleur," Harry said, ending his speech.

For the remainder of the rehearsal dinner, more silent exchanges were passed, but had much time to act upon them as the wedding party did pictures and preparations for tomorrow's festivities. Hermione stood back and helped with various organizing and before she knew it, the night was over and everyone was slowly dwindling down for the night. Hermione had hoped to get some time alone with Pansy that evening in their room, but the girls in the wedding party had stayed with Fleur. Cursing internally, Hermione cleaned up in the kitchen, and headed towards the stairs.

"Hermione," she heard a mere breath behind her, "Can we talk a sec?"

Hermione turned to face Ron, who had clearly been drinking.

"What is it?" her tone held scorn she was unable to hold back.

"You look beautiful tonight. I thought you should know," his words were slurred, and she could smell the firewhiskey on his breath from his close proximity.

"Where's Lav?" she asked changing the subject. She saw Ron flinch as he leaned against the wall.

"In bed I suppose. But I don't want to talk about her.

"And I don't want to talk at all," she rushed out and turned to ascend the stairs to her room without looking back. She could feel his eyes watching her as she disappeared behind the door.

Hermione changed for bed and had the company of Ginny and Lavender then.

"I can't wait for tomorrow! I hope Ron Ron dances with me," exclaimed Lavender, braiding her hair for the night. Hermione rolled her eyes. She always hated that nickname. She forced a smile on her face and looked at Ginny, who appeared to have the same thoughts.

"Well, good luck with that, Lav. He's not much of a dancer," Ginny replied bitterly. Lavender glared at the two of them before shrugging them off and laying down. Hermione pulled the covers to her chin and thought again about what she would actually say of her newfound feelings. It didn't take long for the silence of the room and the activity in her head to cause her eyes to grow heavy as she slowly drifted to sleep, hoping tomorrow brings a positive outcome and not a misunderstanding.

* * *

The next morning, the Burrow was bustling with activity as everyone made the final preparations for today's wedding. Hermione found herself waking to a pillow being slammed on her face from Ginny, who was already dressed and ready. She rose from the bed and quickly began to make herself presentable before rushing downstairs to help where she could. She had overslept, and being late, on top of the uncertainty already wearing her heart, were two things she didn't tolerate or quite understand.

Pansy found herself distracted as the day sped past. Flowers and people at every turn. She barely remembered the service itself, distracted was she of the head of curls towards the back row. She smiled in spite of herself as the magical sparks ignited in celebrational union.

Everyone was dancing having a grand ole time, enjoying their drinks. Hermione had more than she was willing to admit and found herself stumbling slightly towards a pretty brunette.

"Pansy," she began, "will you dance with me?" Pansy looked at her with that perfect smile and slowly got up. Once she was standing, Hermione realized how close she was in that moment and could smell her light floral perfume take over her senses. It wasn't overly bearing, it was perfect in that Pansy way.

"Of course, _Hermione_ , I would love to." She led the Gryffindor to the center of the dance floor and took her hand. Pansy took the lead and placed her hand delicately on Hermione's waist. Before they could get two steps in, however, Lavender storms up to them in a huff.

"Hermione," she appeared to be shaking, "I don't know what you're trying to pull, but stay away from my Ron Ron!"

"Hey!" said Pansy without missing a beat, "Beat it, Brown. Nobody wants your stupid Ron Ron. Now, if you'll be _so_ kind as to bugger off, we would like to take our dance now."

Lavender stood there with her mouth open. To a tipsy Hermione, it looks as if she could catch fireflies. In a silence shock, she turned and stormed off to Ron's side. Hermione could see him staring as Pansy took her waist once more.

"Where were we again?" she said smiling at her. She led Hermione through a fast paced tune. Hermione was lost in the music having an amazing time dancing. She never felt happier in her life as she felt so safe and warm in Pansy's arms she never wanted to let go. Hermione wanted to tell Pansy exactly how she felt more than anything. It was all she could think about and before she knew it, she was babbling away, speaking gibberish and stuttering over words while the both were dancing to a much slower tune.

"Um, Pansy can I talk to you?….Well I mean, we are talking but can we talk? Well umm, what I mean is that..I've never done this before and I wanted to…"

Pansy cut her off softly with a single finger to her lips.

"Hey, hey! Calm down, it's ok," she told her lowering her finger and placing her hands into Hermione's, "Breathe. It's me, alright? You don't have to be nervous," Pansy said with caring loving eyes. Hermione took a deep breath and reminded herself what Pansy said.

"Ok, I'm sorry. I just wanted to tell you that you're a great person and an awesome friend. Actually, you're more like my girlfriend. Well I mean, a friend that's a girl. You're more like my friend girl..You know?"

When she started babbling again, she cursed herself as she knew what she wanted to say, but everything was coming out all jumbled and at once. Before she could rush out anything else, she felt Pansy's delicate fingers on her cheek and her lips brushed firmly, yet sweetly against her own. Hermione's entire body froze in that moment. She wasn't sure how she would react at first, but she found she rather liked the softness and tenderness Pansy held in her kiss.

When Pansy reluctantly pulled away after a moment, she could feel Hermione leaning closer, as if not ready for the release. But when their eyes opened and met each other, Pansy smiled.

"I like you too, Hermione, as my friend girl."

* * *

 ** _Please let the author know what you think!_**


	13. Chapter 13: A Life in Moments

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 4,985

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

* * *

 **Story Title :** _A Life in Moments_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Romance/Comedy/Feels

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger, side pairing: Hansy

 **Summary :** Draco is asking Hermione the most important question yet, and thinking back through their relationship leading up to the big question.

* * *

 **A Life in Moments**

* * *

It was Valentine's night and Draco Malfoy found himself in an unexpectedly uncomfortable situation. Not that he would ever admit it aloud, but he was a sweaty nervous mess. His dress robes pooled around his knees as he held up the little black box and waited for the answer to the most important question he'd ever asked.

He was becoming entirely too cliche for his liking which was far from acceptable for a Malfoy. This always seemed to happen when Hermione was involved. The cunning Slytherin often found himself tripping over words and actions from just one look from her. He ought to be used to it by now. After all, it had been more than four years.

* * *

The announcement that the Yule Ball would be held in a month's time had just been made. However Draco had known since the summer that the tournament and ball would be coming to the school. His father, as always, had made sure he was prepared. What he hadn't been prepared for was the witch he had developed a crush on.

Hermione Granger wasn't at all the sort of girl that Draco was supposed to like. She was a swotty, know-it-all Gryffindor who happened to be best friends with Harry bloody Potter. Yet almost as soon as the train set off, he found himself drawn to her. Over the next few months, he took every opportunity to be closer to her. He offered his help when Potter was picked for the Tri-Wizard Tournament, which only helped ingratiate himself with her during paired lessons.

Draco knew that the other students would begin asking their crushes and friends to the dance. Considering how clueless her friends were, he felt he had plenty of time to come up with a solid plan to convince Hermione to go as his date.

What he wasn't anticipating was that while he was working up the nerve to ask her, a stupid famous Quidditch prat was also looking for the opportunity to ask his witch out. She may not have been his witch in title yet, but that was merely a technicality. Draco had already decided she was his and Malfoy's always got what they wanted.

He decided to start his search in the library because if one was looking for Hermione Granger, that would be the most logical place to start. He strutted in with a bit more confidence than he felt, holding strong to the idea that it wouldn't do to let her see him nervous.

He knew that his father had expected him to ask Pansy, who was the perfect pureblood princess he'd been raised to marry. He might have even been able to make himself date her, if not for Hermione.

On second thought, he decided he couldn't get passed the simpering and idiotic nicknames that, for some reason, she thought he liked. He couldn't stand when she would hang on his arm or gossip incessantly. His parent's would eventually get over the disappointment of not having Pansy Parkinson as a daughter-in-law.

Shaking all thoughts of his fellow Slytherin from his head, he strolled to the back of the library where the studious Ravenclaws liked to sit. And there he found her.

He dropped into the seat across from her and just stared for a moment. He saw her enough that he tended to forget how many freckles she had, or how she would scrunch up her nose a bit when puzzling out a particularly difficult Arithmancy problem, or how no matter how often she brushed her hair out of her face, it would always fall back down and cover one eye.

He cherished these moments because he was able to really look at her without having to put on any sort of front for his friends or hers. It was in moments like this that he was able to appreciate her subtle beauty. She looked up and brushed her hair back from her face once again.

"Oh! Hey Draco, I didn't see you there. Have you been here long? I just got lost in this book."

Draco's heart still soared a little every time she called him by his given name. They had decided, after he pointed out how much time they were spending together, that they had somehow, inexplicably, become friends. Once he'd started calling her 'Hermione', it had naturally evolved into her calling him 'Draco'.

"Not long, Hermione. I was just hoping you had a free moment to, you know, talk." He nervously replied. He hated that she was able to do this to him and hoped that this wouldn't become a regular occurrence.

Setting her book down to give him her full attention, she leaned in and waited to hear what was so important. She wasn't sure what he wanted to talk about, but was a little glad that he had shown up when he did. It seemed that the Triwizard Champion from Durmstrang, the famous seeker that Ron couldn't seem to shut up about, had taken a liking to her and had been not so subtly showing up wherever she was. Honestly, he wasn't so bad, but the giggling group of witches that shadowed his every move made her concentration waiver, and that was not acceptable.

She found herself looking into the slightly nervous eyes of Draco Malfoy and she found her curiosity intensifying. "Is everything alright, Draco? You seem nervous."

"I'm fine. So, I'm sure you've heard about the upcoming ball. " He cleared his throat noisily as he fidgeted. "Well, I was hoping that you would want to go with me. As my date." He rushed to get it out before he lost his nerve.

A moment of silence followed and without glancing her way, he stood up to leave, completely unaware that his ears and cheeks had turned a bright scarlet color. It was not, however, lost on Hermione.

"Sure, I would like to go with you. I'm not a very good dancer though."

Dumbstruck, he cleared his throat again before a brilliant smile crossed his face. "That's great! It will be brilliant! You'll see! I'll, uh, let you get back to your studies. Wait, what about not being very good? No, I can't believe that. Don't worry and just follow my lead. I'll, uh, see you. Later." He turned to leave and stumbled into the table, knocking over a chair in the process. He was able to catch it before it hit the ground and kept walking, hoping she hadn't noticed.

The smile that pulled up the corners of her mouth showed that she had.

* * *

That afternoon had been the beginning. The start of the most important relationship in his life. They had gone to the dance and everything was perfect. He was the envy of the school, but for the first time in his existence, he didn't care. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, something that hadn't changed in the years since. They had danced, well he had danced and she stepped on his toes and spent hours apologizing. He hadn't cared. She could step on his toes until the end of time as long as he could have her close.

Two weeks later he asked her on their first trip to Hogsmeade together. She quickly accepted. They held hands and stole glances at each other when they thought no one was looking. It was everything young romances should be, innocent and sweet. She had told her friends and, with the exception of a few slack jaws and some stuttering from Weasley, they took the news remarkably well.

He found it funny how well they all got along, especially when they were able to get passed the past. He was able to show Hermione that there was more to him than the spoiled pureblood prince he'd always been known as. He'd also managed to surprise everyone when he played matchmaker with Potter and Pansy, creating a sickeningly sweet couple that could only he bested by himself and Hermione. He had honestly done it just to get Pansy off his back once and for all, though seeing his friend happy was a bonus he hadn't expected.

Without meaning to he sighed and smiled just thinking of Valentine's weekend their sixth year.

* * *

It was a Hogsmeade trip and he had made plans for a romantic day with Hermione. However, as with most things he planned, it wasn't going according to plan. They had been together for a little over a year and he wanted to spoil her.

The week before he'd finally gotten up the courage to tell his father about his girlfriend and not just the fact that he had one. No, he had told him that he was serious about a witch and they were going to get to meet her this summer. He wasn't surprised when his father expressed interest in her, but didn't realize that in the entirety of his letter he hadn't called her by name. Eh, he could rectify that later. After all, how upset could his parents really get? He was about to find out faster than anticipated.

He and Hermione met at the entrance as usual and began their walk down to the village with their friends, hand in hand as always. Surrounded by their friends, Slytherin and Gryffindor alike, they laughed and joked as the group made their way out of the school, unknowingly getting closer to his parents, who had made the trip to surprise their only son and his lady love.

As they approached the village, the couples in the group began to split off to go their separate ways. Draco stifled a laugh as Pansy dragged a very distressed looking Potter towards Madam Puddifoot's for, what he was sure she considered, a very nice afternoon.

He was once again incredibly grateful that he and Hermione were on the same page over how to spend their time together. They headed first towards Tomes and Scrolls where he told her to pick anything she desired. She, of course, refused based on the fact that she was an independent woman and perfectly capable of buying her own things and took her purchases to the register to feed her vice.

After that they wandered through Honeydukes where he bought her some sweets, simply because he could. They decided to have lunch at The Three Broomsticks before heading to the Scrivenshaft's. Hand in hand they entered the pub and he gaped in confusion as two blondes darted toward him. He shot an apologetic look toward Hermione as his mother tried to squeeze the life out of him.

From there, it quickly turned awkward as Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy looked around for Miss Parkinson.

"Draco, darling! Come sit down. We have a table set for the four of us. Let's just wait for your date." Narcissa started before noticing the brunette standing before her. "Oh! Hello. Who might you be, dear?" She switched gears hoping that her husband would step in and help fix her faux pas, at least until she knew what was happening.

Ever attuned to his wife's moods, Lucius stepped forward and looked down at the mousy girl who was now clinging to his son with a slight sneer. "Yes, Draco, you simply must tell us what is going on here. We were under the impression you were spending the day with your witch and yet, I don't see Miss Parkinson anywhere. Instead I see this...this girl." Lucius was not a man known for mincing his words. He was blunt when the situation called for it, and right now it did indeed call for bluntness. The heir to his family was not supposed to be holding hands with a mudblood! He knew better than to use the term in public in this social climate. However, there was no getting around the fact that she was beneath and she was entirely inappropriate for his son.

Draco found himself wrapping an arm around Hermione and standing as straight as he could so as to look his father in the eyes when he introduced them to Hermione. "Mother, Father, I would like to introduce you to my girlfriend Hermione Granger. Sweetheart these are my parents Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy." Looking at her he noticed a shocked expression on her face and had to work hard not to chuckle. "Mia I had planned to have you over this summer to have a formal introduction, but apparently my letter to father piqued his interest more than I had realized. We will join you for lunch if that is still your wish mother." He looked at Hermione and gave an apologetic smile and took her hand, leading her towards the table.

* * *

Looking back on that disastrous meal he should have realized that if she hadn't broken up with him after that, then she wasn't going to. The funny part was that as bad as her meeting his parents had been, it barely scratched the surface of uncomfortable compared to his meeting hers. That had been the first time that Draco could remember being so nervous that he had asked others for help. He had wanted to make a good impression, or at the very least not make an utter fool of himself. They were muggles, Draco hadn't ever been exposed to muggles...ever. He needed to be prepared.

* * *

A week before the end of year exams their Sixth Year Mia came bursting into the library silently waving a letter in her hand excitedly. "They responded, I'm so excited, you're finally going to meet my parents!"

With those few words Draco found himself nervous and struggling to breathe. "What? What did you say? Oh, yeah, meeting your parents. Maybe we should wait just a little bit, how about August. Yes, August seems like a good time to meet new people." He knew this day was coming, but he wanted to put it off as long as possible. He could still picture how the meeting with his own parents had gone a few months prior, smooth it was not. He saw how uncomfortable his Mia had been, without ever saying a single outright horrible thing his mother had managed to put down and belittle the woman he loved in no less than a dozen different ways. She was the queen of subterfuge after all. The thought of reliving that and seeing the hurt and disappointed look on her face broke him a little inside. Even worse was the thought that the people she loved and respected most in the world might not approve of him.

She looked up at him and saw the terrified look in his eyes that he reserved for only her and took his hand in a reassuring way and said "Draco, what's wrong, you're positively pale, and that's saying something. You know I love you right?" She waited for him to nod his head before continuing. "I'm not sure what has you nervous, but there is no need to be, we are just having a quiet dinner with my parents, it won't be fancy, and I will be there the whole time, so it shouldn't be scary."

He seemed slightly mollified by her response and chuckled to himself that he was being silly. "Alright, that sounds fine, but I'm going to need you to prepare me for this, I'm meeting muggles and won't seem ignorant to their strange ways. Just think, this will give you something to create study guides for and will require practice and quizzing." He laughed once again as her eyes lit up at the idea of more studying. She really was barmy.

He had practiced and studied everything there was to know about muggles and her parents in general. He was confident and prepared, or at least that's what he thought. The night of the small family dinner arrived and Draco arrived bearing flowers for Mia and a small hostess gift for Mrs. Granger. He rang the bell and took a deep breath, not realizing it would be the last one he took that evening. Hermione opened the door and greeted him with a smile and a kiss only to have their moment ruined by a very obvious clearing of someone's throat, that would be Mr. Granger. He hastily separated from her and stood up tall to greet her father with a handshake, one that wasn't accepted. Again, his stomach dropped thinking that he was once again standing there had out only to be rejected. He did his best to keep his face clear of any emotions and introduced himself clearly. "Hello Mr. Granger, I'm Draco Malfoy, it's nice to finally meet you. These are for you," he said handing his girlfriend the flowers, "and a little something for your mother." holding up the gift.

Hermione lead Draco passed her father stopping to glare at him for his rudeness to her boyfriend. "Honestly Dad, that was uncalled for, he was being perfectly polite." They walked into the kitchen where her mother was gathering up the plates for dinner. "Hi Mum, I'd like you to meet Draco, Draco this is my mum, Jean." She breathed a sigh of relief she didn't know she was holding when her mother grabbed Draco's hand and brought him into a small hug. He established two things in that moment; first he realized that Jean Granger was a lovely woman and he no longer saw her as a muggle, he liked her quite a bit. Second he realized that his beloved Mia got her propensity for giving great hugs from her mother.

Jean took him by the hand and led him into the dining room, she was so very excited to finally meet the boy that had so long ago captured her only daughter's heart. She knew that Richard was not going to be welcoming to this young man, not because he deserved the animosity, but simply because he was dating Hermione. She knew the two teens had been serious for the better part of three years, and their daughter ever the planner was already seeing herself with Draco for the long-term. Hermione had told her how very nervous he was in regards to meeting them and wanting so badly to make a good impression, and had decided at the moment that he had an ally in her. After all anyone capable of making Hermione as happy as she's been deserves a fair chance. "It's so lovely to meet you Draco, we've heard so very much about you over the years. Welcome to our home. Please ignore my husband, he's determined to make this a bit awkward."

Draco looked around the house as they walked and concluded that it was cozy and inviting, as long as you ignored the brooding man in room. "I have a small hostess gift for you Mrs. Granger. It's a thank you for having me tonight."

"None of that Mrs. Granger stuff, you must call me Jean, Mrs. Granger is Richard's mother." She said with a smile. "Please sit down and tell me a about yourself."

Things progressed nicely from there, Draco began to feel more welcome and was answering questions as they were asked and even Mr. Granger, yes that's what he insisted I call him, began to talk and ask questions. Mia was so happy and relieved until Mr. Granger asked how serious we were about each other, in my state of mind I answered that I loved Mia very much and couldn't see a future where she didn't figure prominently. He seemed to appreciate that answer and nodded in approval, the next thing I knew however everything had gone bad.

"So Draco, you say you love my little girl, and see a future with her, you are both so young, how can you be sure? Are you two sleeping together?

"Well sure we are, it's been more than two years." He responded and took a bite of his roast, only to the very upset reaction from Mr. Granger and the wide eyed scarlet face of Mia.

"You deflowered my little girl? You two aren't married and now you've taken advantage of a young girl," He took a breath to continue only to be interrupted by a very angry Hermione.

"Daddy you listen here, Draco did no such thing, I love him and you are being ridiculous, you've been nothing but nasty since he arrived, I think you owe him an apology and you need to realize that your 'Little Girl" as you keep calling me, is actually a young woman, in case you've forgotten. I will be 18 in a few months, that makes me an adult in both the wizarding world and in ours. So if you can't be nice to my boyfriend then this meal is over and I will take Draco home and be back later. The choice is yours." Having finished her rant she took a few deep breaths and looked around the table to see a very confused Draco.

He didn't respond right away, and it seemed that was not the reaction Hermione wanted so she stood from the table, wiping her hands and face with her napkin and thanked her mother for a lovely meal and grabbed Draco's hand and they left without another word to her father.

As soon as the door closed Mia rounded on him with a shocked and slightly embarrassed expression on her face, they had practiced and studied and at no point in their preparation was Draco supposed to tell her parents, especially her father, that they were sleeping together, that hadn't been a part of the plan. Not that she was ashamed, she wasn't, but her father could have made it all the way to her wedding believing otherwise as far as she was concerned. "What happened? How did you end up saying that? Those are my parents in there not our friends who don't care and might congratulate you on your sexual prowess, but not my dad."

"That's just it, I don't even know what happened, I was answering questions and I thought finally making progress with your father and the next thing I know I'm being accused of deflowering you and taking advantage." He hung his head at the realization that all of their practice had prepared him for meeting muggles, and he had somehow lost track of the fact that these weren't just muggles, but also her parents. He would have to work harder in the future to remember that, as he was determined that there would be a future for them.

* * *

Remembering how frosty the reception was from Mr. Granger each and every time they saw each other over the next year still made Draco cringe, one moment of complacency from the normally unflappable Slytherin and he would spend hours trying to fix that gaffe with his hopefully soon to be father-in-law. Draco found himself thinking about how well the announcement he and Mia had made when they were graduation Hogwarts and preparing to start their lives together outside school, as adults.

* * *

Draco was beyond ecstatic, he and Hermione had graduated last week, Hogwarts was behind them and now their futures lay ahead of them. She was going to be working at the Ministry doing something about saving the magical creatures, he honestly tried to listen when she told him, but inevitably she would start her impassioned talk of helping the less fortunate creatures, giving them a voice and then he would become distracted by her face, the small patch of freckles under her left eye, or the errant curl that drove her nuts that he secretly loved, and would end up missing more than half of what she was saying. He would nod in the correct places and show his unending support for her numerous causes, he just couldn't tell you what exactly she was going to be doing. He really needed to work on that. He had finally given in and accepted his birthright, he would go to work with his father and learn to run Malfoy Industries.

First things first however, he and Hermione needed a place to live. She decided that they needed a flat somewhere in London where she would be close to the Ministry, and also be close to their friends. Draco figured this meant it was time to propose to her and make it official, he was incredibly surprised when she said she wanted to "live in sin" this was not a term that he was familiar with, but considering the chuckles when she said it, he could only imagine it was a muggle term, and would most likely anger her father. His witch really did have a devilishly naughty side to her and he loved her all the more for it. They began looking for places that would serve their purposes and was something that she would not consider too expensive, a thought which amused Draco to no end.

They managed to find a cozy little flat in London, it was just big enough for the two of them and both thought it was perfect. She could walk to work and he could Floo to the office, it was going to be awesome. They moved in on Wednesday and had friends and family over to celebrate on Friday. Harry and Pansy showed up first and made themselves at home in the tiny flat, and waited for the rest to show up. Pansy had held in her excitement as long as she could and just had to share her great news with her friends. She happily put her left hand out and wigglesd her fingers so that the new addition to her ring finger could catch the light, and counted silently to three. When the ring on her friend's finger registered Hermione jumped up and squealed with excitement, she hadn't even known Harry was going to ask, so she was truly surprised and so happy for them both. The group decided that they had far more than just a housewarming party to celebrate. The other guests began to arrive and the party was nice and low key, both sets of their parents had showed up and were at least pretending to be cordial to the group.

Hermione's father approved of the place, but was disappointed that it was happening before they were married. Draco tried to assure him that he had every intention of marrying her, but it was Hermione who had wanted to "live in sin." Hearing this Richard Granger began to really give his daughter's boyfriend a fair chance. The Malfoy's pretended that they were just fine with the situation, they had in fact spent more time with Hermione over the last year and had come to see her for more than just her blood status. They just didn't understand why Draco felt the need to move out of the Manor, it was his home and there was more than enough room and would even allow Hermione to move in if that was Draco's wish. They did however show up in support and would deal with their misgivings in private, where it belonged.

* * *

Thinking back on the last year Draco once again realized exactly how lucky he was. He had the witch of his dreams, his family had finally come to agree with him regarding Hermione, her parents had welcomed him into the family, and he was now on the precipice of having it all. If only his witch would answer his damn question. She looked so beautiful and he just knew that he was destined to spend the the rest of his life with her.

Hermione stood there in a moment of shock, not because she had any doubt in her mind, because she had none, he was her wizard. She had planned on telling Draco something tonight, but as usual, he managed to beat her to it, in a big way. She looked down and smiled thinking of how much she loved this man and then frowned when she saw him looking nervous. Her brave and strong Draco was beginning to look sick. "Draco, sweetie, what's wrong?"

"Please for the love of Merlin would you answer the bloody question? The wait is killing me."

"Sweetie, are you actually afraid I might say no? I love you and can't imagine my life without you by my side, of course I'm going to marry you. I was just surprised is all." She opened her mouth to say something else only to find that it was already occupied.

Draco was to his feet faster than he would have thought possible and has swept her into his arms for a searing kiss. Tongues, teeth, hands and lips were all a veritable mess of moving parts, performing a symphony they had long since mastered. He peppered her lips, cheeks, chin and eyelids with soft kisses to show how much he loved her and how blissfully happy he was.

She wasn't sure at what point he had picked her up but she currently found herself against a wall she didn't realize they were near with her legs wrapped around his waist. He set her back on her feet and kissed her sweetly once more as she quietly chuckled in his ear.

"Mia love, what's so funny?" He asked

"Not so much funny as ironic, you have a knack of stealing my thunder when I have big news, and doing something som grand and amazing it leaves me wondering if I should wait to not ruin the moment." she looked him in the eyes and seeing his curiosity she whispered in his ear, "would this be a good time to tell our parents they are going to be grandparents?"

Just like that her unflappable wizard was once again undone, and she wouldn't have it any other way. With that she slid the ring onto her finger.

* * *

 ** _Please let the author know what you think!_**


	14. Chapter 14: A Day of Firsts

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 1,055

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

* * *

 **Story Title :** _A Day of First's_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Comedy

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** James Potter/Lily Evans

 **Summary :** It's Harry's first Valentine's day and everything has to be perfect. Lily waits for James and Harry to arrive home from Sirius' for the festivities to begin.

* * *

 **A Day of First's**

* * *

She hummed along as she buzzed around the house. It was their first Valentine's day together and she wanted to make it special. She set out hearts around the house. Her green eyes glittering in anticipation. There wasn't much to find happiness in these days but she was going to make sure that this was special and that everything was going to be perfect. She bit her lip and looked at the house. He would be coming home soon. It was now or never. She sat down at the table and continued humming as she delicately laid her hands together, interlacing her own fingers. She fidgeted waiting for the boys to get home. Even though it was just a few minutes until they arrived, she felt like she was sitting there for an eternity. She sighed and smoothed her skirt and looked up when she heard the pop of an apparation.

With a sharp pop James apparated into their small home in Godric's Hollow. Harry was in tow, burbling at him. Lily had requested specifically for him to take the baby with him on his outing to see Sirius. Not that he minded, but he was sure that his wife had something up her sleeve. In his spare hand, he held roses that he had nicked from some muggle's yard. Only realizing in the last few seconds home that it was Valentine's day. "Lily, I'm home," he shouted and then was assaulted with the pinks and the reds and he groaned. It was Harry's first Valentine's day. She went all out.

She bounced across the room and held out her arms for Harry. He obliged her and she gave him a smacking kiss. "Hello love, welcome home. I'm sorry but this is his first and all firsts should be important." She grinned and held up a camera and snapped a picture of him as he rolled his eyes. "Lily he isn't going to remember this when he's older." She pouted, "But we are and there should be pictures." With a sigh, he gave in. He usually did. "What do you have planned?"

Her eyes lit up even further. "Just to have Harry play to his heart's content. We can't go much of anywhere but we can make it fun for him." She plopped him down on the floor as he tried to grab her long auburn locks. "Kisses and love and all that goes along with Valentine's day." James sat down on the couch and crossed a leg. She grinned slyly, "And after he goes to bed we can have our Valentine's Day." The mischief in her eyes matched his own. "Oh alright but you better make this good. Padfoot was already complaining about not having a date this year. I'll send him an owl later to stay away."

Harry continued to burble. He was eight months old and by his parent's eyes the smartest lad they had ever met. He was just starting to form words but hadn't come out right and said anything. Accidental magic was a common occurrence in their home and with a snap, Harry shredded all of the paper hearts that Lily had created into confetti as it danced around the house in front of his eyes. Harry reached out to catch the confetti with his chubby baby hands as Lily groaned. "There goes all of my hard work."

James was laughing, "At least it looks pretty." He grabbed his wife by the waist and kissed her soundly. "We don't need all of this Lily. All we need is each other." She pouted again and he attempted to kiss the pout off her face. "I mean it. Our family is the most important thing." Harry looked up at the two of them, unsure what was going on. Bright green eyes looked at his parents and he pulled his arms up into the air and said soundly, for the first time, "Dada!"

The pair jumped apart and they looked at each other and then looked down at Harry again, "What did you say son?" Lily clutched her hand to her heart, it beating wildly. "Dada!" He repeated again, moving his fingers to reach for him. "Oh! Harry!" Tears began to well up in Lily's eyes as James picked him up and snuggled the baby. "This is the best Valentine's day present I could have ever gotten." James hugged Lily, wedging Harry in between to the two of them. "You're right James, this is all I need. Just me and my boys," she smiled a watery smile.

"I know it was silly of me but I just wanted it to be special." Her eyes looked up at James' hazel ones, "Dada!" Harry said again and slapped him on the chest. Another pop went off and Harry and James levitated off the ground. Lily began laughing and snapped as many pictures as she could. James lifted Harry above his head with a laugh. "Oh you're going to be trouble for me I can already tell." With a grin, "And that's just the way I want it to be."

Later there would be quiet time between mum and dad but for now they couldn't stop laughing. They couldn't stop enjoying the little boy in front of them. They were constantly left on their toes. They may be worried, they may bicker about not being able to go out when and where they wanted to because of the war but none of it mattered because of days like this. When they weren't members of the Order of the Phoenix and they didn't have to worry about who had died today. They were just the Potters.

The laughter between the three of them could be heard throughout the house. Any worries of the upcoming war were forgotten. All that they could focus on was the happiness and love for each other. If anyone were to look inside the house that day they would see a happy and content but slightly new family celebrating Valentine's day for the first time, together.

* * *

 ** _Please let the author know what you think!_**


	15. Chapter 15: Dudley's Valentine Present

**Prompt:** Valentines

 **Word count:** 3,476

 **Note:** The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

 **Disclaimer:** The authors of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.

* * *

 **Story Title :** _Dudley Veron's Valentine Present_

 **Rating:** T

 **Genre:** Drama, Romance

 **Fanfic name :** _-Undisclosed at this time-_

 **Pairing:** Dudley's Daughter (Violet) and Lavender Brown's son

 **Summary :** It's Valentine's Day and Dudley's daughter is in her Second Year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She is staying at Hogwarts for the Holiday because she met a boy that is almost the same age as her (he is in his 3rd year at Hogwarts). Dudley is getting more used to having a magical daughter.

* * *

 **Dudley Veron's Valentine Present**

* * *

Violet had just started her second year at Hogwarts, and Valentine's Day was approaching fast and Violet wanted to stay at Hogwarts. She sent her mom and dad an owl and told them she was going to stay at Hogwarts instead of coming home for the holiday. Violet's owl was a beautiful black owl with emerald green eyes that her father purchased for her in Diagon Alley when she got her letter one year ago stating she was a witch and was accepted to Hogwarts. There was notices all around the Great Hall about the Valentine's Day Dance and feast that was going to happen. Violet saw the notice and she immediately wanted to attend the dance and see how wonderful her 1st Valentine's Day staying at the school was going to be. With Violet only being 13 years old Dudley wasn't sure if he wanted her staying at the School by herself. Lularoe had to convince her husband that Violet would be perfectly fine because she was staying at Hogwarts.

Meanwhile back at the school Violet was making good grades and she had two best friends. Her female friend was a second year as well and her name was Jocelyn Pettigrew and her male friend was a second year and his name was Aaron Langley.

The three of them were always together and they were all from different houses. Aaron was in Ravenclaw, Jocelyn was in Gryffindor, and Violet was in Hufflepuff. Dudley didn't know much about Hogwarts but he knew his cousin Harry was in Gryffindor and his daughter got put in Hufflepuff. Christoph, Aaron, Jocelyn and Violet pretty much had all the same classes at the same time and Violet started growing fond of Christoph who was in Slytherin House. Christoph was not in the same grade as Aaron, Jocelyn and Violet he was a year ahead of them. He was in his 3rd year at Hogwarts. Every minute that Jocelyn and Aaron and Violet could spend together they did. The Valentine's Day Dance was only 2 months away and pretty much everyone had dates except Aaron, Jocelyn, Violet and Christoph. Violet was secretly hoping that Christoph would ask her to the dance.

December 23, on a cold afternoon the Hogwarts students were heading to Hogsmead to find presents for their loved ones for the Christmas Holiday. Violet found her parents presents that she thought they would enjoy, she bought her dad a snow globe of Hogwarts and some cockroach clusters. She bought her mother a few chocolate frogs, some licorice wands and the most amazing smelling perfume she had ever smelled in her entire life. Christmas was a few days away and Violet was happy to be going home for the Christmas Holiday and spend it with her family. The Hogwarts Train was leaving the next day to take the students home that were going home for the Holidays. The only one who wasn't going home for the holidays was Christoph because his parents were going away on a trip to Australia to spend the Christmas Holiday.

Violet had a hard time sleeping that night because she was too excited to see her mom and dad after months of not seeing them. Violet was especially excited to see her Grandma Petunia over the Holidays, Petunia knew that Violet was different but she didn't expect to receive anything from her Granddaughter that is the way she liked it. Eventually Violet fell into a slumber and was awaken abruptly by her owl, who was waking her up because the morning feast was about to begin. In a few hours Violet would be on the train on her way home to her family. They were on break until the New Year they went back January 3rd, and then there would only be a few weeks left until the big Valentine's Day Dance. Violet enjoyed her breakfast and then when she was done eating she would go back to the common room so she could pack her luggage and make sure she had her presents for her mom and dad. At 11 am sharp there was announcement that the train was leaving in 15 minutes and everyone was to have their luggage ready to be boarded on the train. Violet used the levitating charm Wingardium Levoisa to make her trunks lighter. At 11:15 everyone who was going home boarded the train and waited for it to start its 4.5-hour journey back to England.

While Violet was on the train she decided she was going to write a note to her parents to make sure they would be at King's Cross around 4pm to get her home. "Dear Mum and Dad I am currently on the train home please make sure you are at King's Cross at 4pm to come get me to spend the Christmas Holiday with you, Love Violet" she made sure the parchment was sealed and sent her owl off to her mother and father. About an hour later her owl which she named Harry after her great cousin Harry Potter, came back with a parchment in his mouth. On the back of the letter that Violet wrote was none other than Dudley's handwriting "Your mother and I cannot wait for your arrival we will be at King's Cross at 4pm, have a safe trip and we will see you in a little. Love Mom and Dad" Jocelyn and Aaron came to the cabin that Violet was sitting in and rode the train home with their best friend. Over the hours they enjoyed conversation and sweets from the cart pushed by a young woman named Alliaha. She was the granddaughter to the older lady that Harry, Ron, and Hermoine had been buying sweets off of all those years ago. Every time Alliaha came by with the cart Aaron would be the first one to the cabin door and he would just stare at her and drool until Violet and Jocelyn had to pull him back in the cabin. Jocelyn loved cats so she brought her pet cat Peeves with her to Hogwarts every year and Aaron had a Phoenix hybrid mix that he got as a birthday present his first year from his great great great uncle Phillius. The headmaster allowed Aaron to keep the Phoenix hybrid mix because he knew Aarons Uncle Phillius. An announcement came over the speaker "We will be arriving at King's Cross in about 30 minutes. "It must be 3pm" Violet stated to Aaron and Jocelyn. "So what are you guys going to do this holiday?" Aaron asked his 2 best friends. "Spend time with our families" they both said in unison. "We won't see each other again until January 3rd" Violet stated. "I know but it is only like a week or 2 you can come visit us in that time if you want." Aaron stated.

Aaron and his family lived in a little cottage by the river that looked small on the outside but was very big on the inside. It was 4 stories high and Aaron had 3 sisters and 3 brothers along with his mom and dad. Violet had only ever seen Aarons house on the outside because they only lived 15 minutes from where Violet lived. Jocelyn lived in the main city of England so they didn't get to see her too often unless they were in school. The train pulled up to King's Cross station and everyone who was home for the holidays their families stood waiting on platform 9 ¾ waiting for the train. Violet had only met Aarons parents once and that was at King Cross station when she first started Hogwarts. The oldest brother of Aarons was in his last year at Hogwarts (7th year) and he showed Violet and Aaron how to get on the platform because her dad didn't know how to get on it when she found out she was accepted to Hogwarts. Aarons oldest brother had already left Hogwarts by the time Violet stated her second year. His name is John (19 years old) he went off to be an aurora for the Ministry of Magic. The second oldest brother Steve is in his Last year (18 years old) (7th). Aaron's sister Adela who is also in her last year (18 years old) (7th) Steve and Adela are twins. Aaron has a sister who is in her 4th year at Hogwarts named Crystaline. (15 years old) Marcus who is in his 3rd year at Hogwarts (14 years old) and Cynthia (9 years old) who hasn't started Hogwarts yet. His family is known as "Purebloods" because all of his family are either witches or wizards. Jocelyn is considered "Pureblood" as well because all of her family are either witches or wizards. Violet is a Half-Blood because her dad, grandma, and grandpa are all muggles. Her mom is a witch along with her other grandpa and grandma who were also witches and wizards. Violet got off the train and the prefects unloaded everyone's luggage and the parents that the students belonged to collected their children and left. Violet, Jocelyn and Aaron were among the last ones on the platform waiting for their parents to collect them. Violet ran into Dudley and Lularoe's arms and gave them the biggest hug they have ever received. Dudley loaded his daughter's luggage into the back of the car and put Harry in the back of the car with Violet.

They were on their way home to enjoy their Christmas Holiday together. "How was your term dear" Lularoe asked her daughter as Dudley was driving home. "It was great mum we learned a new spell called Wingardium Leviosa" "Ahh I remember those days that was one of my favorite spells to do because it made my years at school so much easier when I had a lot of books and stuff to carry to class." "Also I met this boy named Christoph and he is so cute, he is one year ahead of me he is in his 3rd year at school." "Really" Dudley replied "This Christoph kid has he made a pass at you Violet?" "No dad I don't even think he knows I am alive, I mean we have classes together but we don't ever talk like Jocelyn and Aaron and I do. "Ah yes your little friends from school" Dudley replied. "How are they by the way?" "They are good Dad". After about 10 minutes of driving they finally got to their house and had their house elf George bring Violet's school things in. George and Violet talk and spend time together when she is on her breaks. He has been their house elf since Violet was about 6 years old. He is a free house elf but he refuses to accept the fact that he is a free elf. He loves the Dursley's too much to leave their house he often tells Violet. Dudley and Lularoe just allow him to do "house elf" chores because that is what he likes to do. The Dursley's live in a mansion on the East side of England. Dudley fell into his father's work with drills, before his dad passed away Vernon was the CEO of the drill company. In Vernon's will he left the company to Dudley, and left him with quite a bit of money. The house that the Dursley's live in have 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms as well as a big yard and swimming pool and swing set. Violet's dogs Padua and Aristo came running to the door as soon as they heard it open. While Violet was at school Padua became pregnant and was expecting her litter of puppies sometime in January.

George took Violets things up to her room and unpacked them and let Harry out of his cage to fly and stretch his wings. Violet spent most of her day with her parents and then around 8 pm Dudley told Violet he had to go collect her Grandmother from the Airport and asked her if she would like to go with him to get her. Violet jumped up and down and agreed to go with her dad to get her grandma. "Lula dear would you like to go with us to get your mother in law?" "No dear I think I will stay here and go into the spa room I'm not feeling so well." "Are you going to be ok?" "Yes dear go get your mother I will be here when you get back." "Alright" Dudley stated. "We will be back in about an hour or so" "Ok I love you guys and be safe because it is dark out and we are supposed to be expecting a snow storm later tonight." Dudley and Violet left to the airport to collect Petunia. George made sure the guest room was made up to Petunia's liking and went to check on Lularoe. "Ma'am may I come in" "Absolutely" Lularoe said. "Madam is there something I can get for you?" "Just an ear" she stated. George sat down in a spa chair and listened to Lularoe talking about all her problems and then out of the blue she said "George I think I'm pregnant" "Ma'am?" George questioned "Does Mr. Dursley and Violet know?" "No I haven't been able to tell them yet because I want to make sure I am before I get my hopes up, do you know what I mean George?" "Yes Ma'am I do" "Please don't say anything to either one of them I plan on finding out through the holiday and then revealing it to Mr. Dursley and Violet on Valentine's Day." "You have my promise Madam not to say anything to them." "Thank you George you are the best house elf I have ever known." "Thank you Madam." "George can you go prepare dinner for when my mother in law and husband and daughter come home." "Sure, what am I making" "Petunia's favorite meal." "As you wish madam." "Lularoe closed her eyes for a little and soon she heard the dog's barking which meant that Dudley, Petunia, and Violet were back.

Lularoe got dressed and looked over herself to make sure that she didn't have a belly bump coming in. After about 5 minutes George came up stairs, "Madam dinner is done" "I will be right there George, did you make sure Petunia was comfortably in her room and settled as she will be staying with us until Violet returns to school." "Yes of course madam" "Thank you George" Lula went downstairs to greet her husband, daughter, and her mother in law. "Petunia dear you look lovely" Lula stated. "As well as you do" Petunia replied. "I am glad you are staying here with us until the new year, everything is unpacked and ready for you in your room you will be staying in during your time here." As always mother the library is there as well as the spa room for you to enjoy" Dudley told his mother. "Shall we sit and enjoy a nice hot meal before we call it a night?" "I would love that Dudley" Petunia stated. George had made all of Petunia's favorite food as well as her favorite desert. They all enjoyed their meal and conversation. Finally, Petunia stood up and said "Shall we do tea Lula before we call it a night?" "Of course mother dearest." "Violet I would like for you to get ready for bed please sweetheart, your dad will be right up to tuck you in I love you and will see you in the morning, we are having your favorite breakfast." "Alright mom" Violet said as she stood up stretching and yawning, come Padua and Aristo time for bed." The two dogs followed her up to her room. "I will be up shortly I am going to say goodnight to your grandma." "ok daddy" Violet said. Dudley came into the tea room kissed his mother on her forehead and bid her goodnight. "Goodnight Dudley I will see you in the morning."

As Petunia and Lularoe sat in the tea room drinking tea, Petunia turns to Lularoe and says "When are you going to tell Dudley?" "Huh? Tell Dudley what" she stated as her hands were shaking. "When are you going to tell your husband you are expecting another baby?" "But how do you know?" Petunia laughed and set her tea cup down. "Do you think I am an imbasole dear child" "No but how do you know?" "Well the first clue was you had no wine at dinner when you usually drink at least one glass, second is I see that you are wearing a dress that is a little big on you and I know you did not lose weight." Lularoe hung her head and said "I'm not sure if I am or not I am going to find out after the holiday and tell Violet and Dudley on Valentine's Day." "Well I do hope you tell them when you said you are going to tell them, and when you find out I want to be the first to know if you are or not." "Of course" Petunia stood up and stretched. "I am going to bed now and I will see you in the morning." Lularoe was left alone in the tea room, she was in shock that Petunia noticed a few little things that she did at dinner. Lularoe went to the indoor pool in their house and swam a few laps before going to bed. By the time Lula was done with her midnight swim Dudley was already fast asleep snoring. She went into their master bathroom and showered and brushed her teeth before climbing in bed with her husband. She couldn't fall asleep right away so she decided she was going to check on her daughter to see if she was sleeping. She got her robe on and walked down the moonlight hallway to her daughter's bedroom. She passed Petunia's room and heard no noise so she assumed she was already sleeping. On her walk down the hall she passed one of the rooms that was decorated for guests but would be turned into a nursery if in fact she was pregnant. The Christmas Holiday and New Year Hoilday flew by and before Violet knew it she was back on the train going back to Hogwarts

The weeks dragged on and finally it was Valentine's Day. Dudley was getting worried that something was wrong with his daughter because she had not sent her parents an owl like she had said she would. While Violet was in her common Room after dinner she had remembered that she need to send an owl to her parents. A few hours before the dance Violet got the family owl back and in it was her mother's handwriting. "Dear Violet your father and I have something to tell you. I'm pregnant and expecting a baby boy or girl hope u are well love mum and dad" Violet started screaming in excitement she was going to be a big sister. She sent an owl back and it said "Finally what took you so long?" I'm super excited and Christoph asked me to the dance. Love Violet" Meanwhile back at the house Lularoe called Dudley downstairs from his afternoon nap. "Dudley can you come here please I have something to tell you" "Coming Dear" "Dudley sit down I have news for you" "Is it Violet is she ok? "Yes dear she is fine it's about me." "Ok what" "You're going to be a daddy" "I already am a daddy" Dudley said. "No no I mean you're going to be a daddy again" Lularoe stated. "You mean…." "Yes I'm pregnant" Dudley broke down and cried he had never been excited like this before until Violet was born and he married the love of his life. A few minutes later he calmed down "Does Violet know?" "I sent the owl to her don't know if she got it yet." Just as se said that the family owl came back and Lula opened the letter. The letter said "Finally what took you so long?" I'm super excited and Christoph asked me to the dance. Love Violet" "Wow she took that better than I thought" Lularoe stated. This was the best Valentines Gift Dudley had ever gotten.

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 ** _Please let the author know what you think!_**


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